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Lockheed Martin, Tata team up to set up MRO facility for C-130Js
Companies may extend their partnership to also make aircraft under the Indian Air Force's MTA program, if and when they get the contract
US defense production giant Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd have teamed up to set up a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in India to support the Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) existing fleet of 12 C-130J Super Hercules tactical airlifters as well as other global Super Hercules fleet.
India is among 22 nations that have deployed the Super Hercules for their tactical airlift missions.
The global C-130J fleet spans 27 operators across 23 nations and supports 19 mission requirements, including critical worldwide search and rescue, peacekeeping, combat delivery, maritime patrol, and special operations, a Lockheed Martin statement said.
Lockheed Martin’s announcement comes two weeks after defense minister Rajnath Singh’s US visit where both nations vowed to boost defense ties.
In addition to setting up the MRO facility, there will be a provision for expanding C-130J manufacturing and assembly in the country to make aircraft for the IAF’s medium transport aircraft (MTA) program if and when it gets the contract, the statement added.
Lockheed Martin, Embraer and Airbus are vying for the Indian Air Force’s MTA program, The Print reported last year, adding that the IAF is looking to procure between 40-80 aircraft to replace its Soviet-designed military transport aircraft Antonov AN-32 and heavy transport aircraft Ilyushin IL-76.
Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems are already in a long-standing partnership through the Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Ltd (TLMAL) joint venture, which was set up in 2010 and manufactures airframe components for the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.
“Collaborating with Lockheed Martin on the C-130J platform proposition for IAF’s MTA project is a milestone for Tata Advanced Systems,” Sukaran Singh, chief executive officer and managing director of Tata Advanced Systems, said. “The current announcement is also significant as it marks the entry of Tata Advanced Systems into the defense MRO space in India for large aircraft platforms.”
TLMAL supports India’s “Make in India” goals and supplies the rear part (tail assembly) for all new C-130J Super Hercules planes made in the US. So far, it has produced over 220 tail assemblies, the company said.
“The C-130J is known as the world’s workhorse, not just for its large global presence, but also for its international supply chain partners including the single-source provider of empennages—TLMAL in Hyderabad,” said Rod McLean, vice-president and general manager of the Air Mobility and Maritime Missions line of business at Lockheed Martin.
The IAF is planning to acquire up to 80 medium transport aircraft and issued a request for information last year. Lockheed Martin responded to the RFI as the C-130J-30 Super Hercules is “ideally suited” to meet the requirements, the company said.
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