First Super Hercules aircraft to be delivered to India next week

Washington: The first of the six state-of-the art C-130J military transport aircraft would be delivered to India on December 16, its manufacturer Lockheed Martin said today.
“The first C-130J for India will be formally delivered on December 16 at a ceremony in Marietta,” Lockheed Martin said in a statement.
“Two will be flown to India in early 2011, while two more will arrive in early summer and the last two will be delivered in late summer of 2011,” it said.
Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, said on Wednesday that in conjunction with the purchase of six C-130J transport aircraft in 2008 the recent $ 4.1 billion C-17 Indian deal with Boeing will double U.S.-India defence trade and provide the Indian Air Force a strategic airlift and humanitarian response capability that is unique to the region and emblematic of India’s ambitions to play an increasingly global role.
“Once all the aircraft have been delivered, ladies and gentlemen, India will have the second largest C-17 fleet in the world behind the U.S. - a highly visible manifestation of the U.S.-India defence partnership,” Mr. Blake said.
The Lockheed Martin C-130J combines the latest in aerospace technology with a proven, rugged airframe design, resulting in an aircraft that gives an operator more capability with greater operational efficiency.
10/12/10 PTI/The Hindu

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Categories: Foreign Dec 2010, Indian Aviation- In General Dec 2010, New Dec 2010