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India May Purchase 12-13 C-130J Hercules for Special Forces
Posted 05-May-2006 11:29
Related stories: Americas - USA, Asia - India, Forces - Special Ops, Lockheed Martin, Rumours, Transport & Utility
Also on this day: 05-May-2006
C-130J.jpg
C-130J Hercules
(click to view full)
India Defence reports that Air Chief S.P. Tyagi has said that "the IAF is planning to buy C-130J planes" for its special forces and Border Security Forces. Reports indicate that the IAF is particularly attracted to the C-130J's ability to land and take off even in improvised or short airfields, and without lights. Those characteristics have served the Hercules well in other anti-terrorism scenarios like Operation Yonatan in Entebbe, and are now more routine maneuvers thanks to the C-130J Hercules' modern avionics and increased engine power. DID has also noted the 'J' model's good performance in "hot and high" conditions, which can reduce the useful load of older Hercules or similar transport aircraft by 50-60%.
India's interest is quite specific, but how that deal might affect its longer-term force structure offers several possibilities, as does this purchase itself....
AIR_AN-32_at_Thiose_India.jpg
AN-32 at Thiose, India
(click, and note mountains)
Lockheed sources reportedly gave a figure of 12-13 aircraft as the number under discussion, which would take over the special forces role and supplement India's current fleet of 100 or so medium lift twin-turboprop AN-32 "Sutlej" aircraft. No word on whether the Hercs in question would be C-130Js with minor customizations, or a J variant of the heavily-modified and much more expensive MC-130 "Combat Talon" special forces aircraft. India's emerging Air Force philosophy and terrorism threat profiles would seem to suggest the MC-130 as the best doctrinal fit, while budgetary constraints (the MC-130H lists as $155 million in FY 2001 dollars, and an MC-130J Combat Talon III would cost more) would suggest the C-130J route.
India is currently engaged in a major upgrade of its AN-32 fleet as well as its 25-30 IL-76 Gajraj strategic transport aircraft, in order to extend their life by 10-20 years. Lockheed Martin is also offering India the $60-80 million C-130J Hercules as a fuller AN-32 replacement option.
AIR_IL-76_vs_C-130H.jpg
IL-76 vs. C-130H
Will India's potential purchase represent a mere stopgap until the $100-120 million A400M begins to hit the market around 2010, and creates a major competition for India's next-generation tactical airlifter? Will a deal be done around an indigenous project instead, something that India often prefers despite the project failures and increased costs common to such projects in its history? Or is a C-130J order a potential door-opener for a much larger Lockheed order, one that can be delivered sooner to a customer who decides that it would rather have more aircraft available, and doesn't need more than 20 tons of lift capacity?
Time will tell, and it's worth noting that even the initial C-130J deal hasn't been finalized yet.

You are beaten! It is useless to resist!
India May Purchase 12-13 C-130J Hercules for Special Forces
Posted 05-May-2006 11:29
Related stories: Americas - USA, Asia - India, Forces - Special Ops, Lockheed Martin, Rumours, Transport & Utility
Also on this day: 05-May-2006
C-130J.jpg
C-130J Hercules
(click to view full)
India Defence reports that Air Chief S.P. Tyagi has said that "the IAF is planning to buy C-130J planes" for its special forces and Border Security Forces. Reports indicate that the IAF is particularly attracted to the C-130J's ability to land and take off even in improvised or short airfields, and without lights. Those characteristics have served the Hercules well in other anti-terrorism scenarios like Operation Yonatan in Entebbe, and are now more routine maneuvers thanks to the C-130J Hercules' modern avionics and increased engine power. DID has also noted the 'J' model's good performance in "hot and high" conditions, which can reduce the useful load of older Hercules or similar transport aircraft by 50-60%.
India's interest is quite specific, but how that deal might affect its longer-term force structure offers several possibilities, as does this purchase itself....
AIR_AN-32_at_Thiose_India.jpg
AN-32 at Thiose, India
(click, and note mountains)
Lockheed sources reportedly gave a figure of 12-13 aircraft as the number under discussion, which would take over the special forces role and supplement India's current fleet of 100 or so medium lift twin-turboprop AN-32 "Sutlej" aircraft. No word on whether the Hercs in question would be C-130Js with minor customizations, or a J variant of the heavily-modified and much more expensive MC-130 "Combat Talon" special forces aircraft. India's emerging Air Force philosophy and terrorism threat profiles would seem to suggest the MC-130 as the best doctrinal fit, while budgetary constraints (the MC-130H lists as $155 million in FY 2001 dollars, and an MC-130J Combat Talon III would cost more) would suggest the C-130J route.
India is currently engaged in a major upgrade of its AN-32 fleet as well as its 25-30 IL-76 Gajraj strategic transport aircraft, in order to extend their life by 10-20 years. Lockheed Martin is also offering India the $60-80 million C-130J Hercules as a fuller AN-32 replacement option.
AIR_IL-76_vs_C-130H.jpg
IL-76 vs. C-130H
Will India's potential purchase represent a mere stopgap until the $100-120 million A400M begins to hit the market around 2010, and creates a major competition for India's next-generation tactical airlifter? Will a deal be done around an indigenous project instead, something that India often prefers despite the project failures and increased costs common to such projects in its history? Or is a C-130J order a potential door-opener for a much larger Lockheed order, one that can be delivered sooner to a customer who decides that it would rather have more aircraft available, and doesn't need more than 20 tons of lift capacity?
Time will tell, and it's worth noting that even the initial C-130J deal hasn't been finalized yet.

You are beaten! It is useless to resist!
