Indian Air Force gets Super Hercules airlifter

• Giving a boost to India's air power, U.S. aerospace and defence giant Lockheed Martin has delivered the first batch of six state-of-the-art C-130J military transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force.
• The new fleet was ordered under a USD 1.2 billion US Foreign Military Sale (India's first) in late 2008.
• Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules is the most advanced airlifter ever built. The 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.
• The IAF's new Super Hercules will be the longer fuselage or "stretched" variant of the C-130J, similar to those being delivered to the U.S. Air Force.
• With this, India joins the growing number of nations with C-130J fleets including US, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom.
• Equipped with an Infrared Detection Set (IDS), the aircraft will be able to perform precision low-level flying, airdrops, and landing in blackout conditions.Self protection systems and other features are included to ensure aircraft survivability in hostile air defence environments. In addition, the aircraft is equipped with air-to-air receiver refuelling capability for extended range operations. Lockheed Martin will integrate this equipment and other capabilities into the Indian configuration as agreed between the governments.
• The aircraft is being provided to the U.S. under a package which includes six aircraft, training of aircrew and maintenance technicians, spares, ground support and test equipment, servicing carts, forklifts, loading vehicles, cargo pallets, and a team of technical specialists who will be based in India during a three year initial support period.
• The C-130J takes full advantage of the Global Positioning System and other highly reliable, automated navigation and route planning aides.
• This allows the cockpit crew to focus on the mission and on flying rather than on managing aircraft systems.