Lockheed seeks "biggest contract ever" with Indian Air Force; wants to outdo Airbus and Embraer in IAF-MTA contract acquisition
US defense giant Lockheed Martin is embroiled in a major "battle" for transport and fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force. For transport aircraft, Airbus and Embraer are competing with Lockheed Martin for the IAF contract.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) transport aircraft fleet is the true workhorse of the country. It has earned global recognition for its remarkable role in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) in the country and in remote areas and beyond.
They also play a vital role in the movement of Indian troops within and between theatres and in resupplying Indian forces in the Himalayan ranges of the North and Northeast. The fleet is the logistics backbone of the IAF. For almost four decades, the Ilyushin Il-76MD and Antonov An-32 were the workhorses. The introduction of the C-17 Globemaster and C-130J-30 has increased India's global reach and payload capacity.
India is fast becoming the third largest economy. Its global importance and commitment necessitates improvements in the IAF's transportation fleet. Older aircraft will eventually be retired; the selection and induction process takes time.
Therefore, the IAF has begun looking for a new transport aircraft with a cargo capacity of 18 to 30 tonnes. This mid-class would cover the payload range from the IL-76 to the An-32. Interested candidates include Embraer's C-390, Lockheed Martin's C130J and the Airbus A400M Atlas.
IAF's current transport/cargo fleet
The IAF has a fleet of 17 Ilyushin Il-76MD aircraft with a payload capacity of 48 tonnes. Service entry began in early 1985. The aircraft first flew in 1971. A popular design, nearly 970 were produced and there are still buyers.
The IAF has purchased 125 Antonov An-32 aircraft with a payload capacity of 6.7 tonnes. The aircraft first flew in 1976 and was delivered to the IAF in 1984. The 105 is still in service; the fleet has recently been modernised. Both aircraft have been in service with the IAF for almost four decades.
The IAF has also purchased nearly a dozen Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs with a 77.5 tonne payload, with deliveries starting in June 2013. The IAF has ordered 12 four-engine Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules turboprop military transport aircraft with a payload capacity of about 19 tonnes.
The IAF's fleet of 56 HS-748 aircraft (maximum payload 5 tonnes) will be replaced by 56 Airbus C-295MW aircraft (maximum payload 7-9 tonnes) within about 10 years. The Indian Army and Coast Guard also operate a large number of Dornier 228s (19 passengers).