Pleased With C-130Js So Far, India Eyes More

[jha]

Impressed by early deliveries and the aircraft’s performance in recent operations, the Indian air force (IAF) is actively considering a proposal to acquire more than the 12 Lockheed-Martin C-130J Super Hercules tactical special mission aircraft already expected.

With the last of six C-130Js from an original 2008 contract to be delivered in November, and a follow-on order for six more to be signed shortly, the IAF has lavished unusual praise on the program and indicated it will ultimately need more than a dozen. The IAF has not released an official figure, but Indian sources have said it could be as many as 24 aircraft.

“It is historic,” Air Chief Marshal Norman Browne says of the current order. “This is the first time in history that we have received aircraft earlier than the stipulated date. This has never happened before and is a new experience.” Speaking at his first public press conference since taking office at the end of July, he added that two C-130Js that had been pressed into earthquake relief duties in late September had performed “extremely well.” The C-130Js flew in bad weather typical of India’s northeast, ferrying tons of equipment and supplies to remote, quake-hit areas.

Pleased With C-130Js So Far, India Eyes More | idrw.org

 

[kaykay]

"The IAF has not released an official figure, but Indian sources have said it could be as many as 24 aircraft."
24 aircrafts?....thats great man if done.

 

[Abingdonboy]

I'd assume that any other than the 12 guaranteed would not be for special ops and more for utility purposes. It seem the C-130s deployment in Sikkim has really impressed IAF.

 

[jha]

I'd assume that any other than the 12 guaranteed would not be for special ops and more for utility purposes. It seem the C-130s deployment in Sikkim has really impressed IAF.

But more should be acquired only if MRTA is not moving ..There is no urgent need to buy off the shelf planes when we can produce the same in house...

 

[Abingdonboy]

But more should be acquired only if MRTA is not moving ..There is no urgent need to buy off the shelf planes when we can produce the same in house...

It doesn't seem MRTA is going anywhere and LM have proven they can prove significant numbers rapidly so the C-130j can be an awesome interim solution. Not to mention the versatility of the platform and the number of variants India could utilise- it has been reported ICG and BSF are also very interested also the Indian Met dept with WC-130j.

 

[jha]

It doesn't seem MRTA is going anywhere and LM have proven they can prove significant numbers rapidly so the C-130j can be an awesome interim solution. Not to mention the versatility of the platform and the number of variants India could utilise- it has been reported ICG and BSF are also very interested also the Indian Met dept with WC-130j.

Thats true but special emphasis should be given to fast track MRTA..There is no doubt about the versatility of C-130J .
But it is not helping the Indian Industry..We can not rely on foreign vendors for ever..

 

[Abingdonboy]

Thats true but special emphasis should be given to fast track MRTA..There is no doubt about the versatility of C-130J .
But it is not helping the Indian Industry..We can not rely on foreign vendors for ever..

Very true- the MRTA is to be made in Russia and mostly designed IN Russia, that is the reason for most of the delays.

 

[angeldemon_007]

How much is one C130j costing us ? I think its way too expensive and our requirement is way too much, i think we should for for cheaper options now, C295 or may be C27j.

 

[misterme2]

How much is one C130j costing us ? I think its way too expensive and our requirement is way too much, i think we should for for cheaper options now, C295 or may be C27j.

Stop being a miser....j/k seriously sometimes to get the best for our forces we need to loosen the purse. In this case, the US has shown once again why its No.1 in the world. "first, deleiveries made earlier than expected" speaks volumes and with regard to Russia, you have to really pick and choose the tech. Look the Russians had no qualms selling us inferior T 90 tanks and though not proven yet, Russia is behind the corruption of Indian defence forces as well.

 

[harpoon]

Stop being a miser....j/k seriously sometimes to get the best for our forces we need to loosen the purse. In this case, the US has shown once again why its No.1 in the world. "first, deleiveries made earlier than expected" speaks volumes and with regard to Russia, you have to really pick and choose the tech. Look the Russians had no qualms selling us inferior T 90 tanks and though not proven yet, Russia is behind the corruption of Indian defence forces as well.

But there is the 'trust factor'.Russia/USSR has been the stable ally of India for years while US, not so long ago, was ready to attack us on the behest of our Western neighbor. Even after Cold War ended US was reluctant to have good relations with India and even put us under sanctions. So there is no guarantee that US will not 'dump' India tomorrow if its strategic interests suits them.

 

[satishkumarcsc]

It doesn't seem MRTA is going anywhere and LM have proven they can prove significant numbers rapidly so the C-130j can be an awesome interim solution. Not to mention the versatility of the platform and the number of variants India could utilise- it has been reported ICG and BSF are also very interested also the Indian Met dept with WC-130j.

That is because the C 130s have been in production for a very long time and its production lines are still running with orders from all over the world. So it wasn't something out of the ordinary. But in Russia's case things were different. Many companies making spare parts and other critical technologies were closed down after the collapse of the Soviet Union and Russia did not have the resources or the cash to start the production lines so easily. Sevmash, Kaliningrad, Irkut and many other big defence production districts and companies were kick started by Indian orders. And above all the Loss of Ukraine came as a big blow to the Russian defense industry as many of their electronics and precision instruments development institute went off with them.

Russia is slowly limping back to it's heyday with many advanced technologies sprouting out of their design houses....they are buying stuff now to study how modern warmacht works...the recent deals with Israel for UAVs and the Mistral ships are all examples about how eager they are to learn about the modern technologies. They still have a robust metallurgical and Engine base which are the hardest to master. So give them a good 20 years and they will be a good competitor for both US and China in terms of both design and production.

Starting from Nepolean Bonaparte to Adolf Hitler, underestimating Russia was the major blunder they did.

 

[kanpur]

Pleased With C-130Js So Far, India Eyes More | idrw.org

jha sahab goodmorning

 

[kanpur]

Very true- the MRTA is to be made in Russia and mostly designed IN Russia, that is the reason for most of the delays.

Indians are waiting eagerly when the government will allow to home grown defence industry to take active part in it,the solution is privatization of defence industries.

 

[satishkumarcsc]

Indians are waiting eagerly when the government will allow to home grown defence industry to take active part in it,the solution is privatization of defence industries.

Skepticism still exists about power sharing between public sector industries and private sector. Because the mil-Ind complex is always said to be more powerful with private players in it.

 

[angeldemon_007]

Stop being a miser....j/k seriously sometimes to get the best for our forces we need to loosen the purse.

Have you seen the status of our armed forces ? Why India is carrying on one of the largest modernization plans ? We don't have anything we have a huge requirements of fighter jets, transport aircrafts, more awacs are also needed, radar coverage is not even their in NE sector, modernisation of airfield and new airfields are desparately required, one of the biggest armed forces and only a couple hundred transport choppers so we also need huge number of transport choppers, attack choppers and LUH are also needed, new SAMs, new trainers and new air defence guns. Dude what else is left ? We need everything and we are getting choosy for the purchase of transport aircrafts ? We have limited budget and a lot to purchase. 12 C130j and 10 C17 is enough for special operations we should now concentrate on others.