Soon, a slice of India on US military aircraft

Hyderabad will soon be put on the world defence map as the Tata Advanced Systems unit will start churning out the spare parts for the US special operation aircraft C-130 Js, presently in service of 15 countries.

The factory will become operational over a year after the Tata Advanced Systems entered a Joint Venture with the US aerospace major Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin had supplied six C-130 J Super Hercules aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the contract mandated it to invest 30 percent of the deal within the country.

“The factory will be manufacturing replacement centre wing boxes and every tail section, on every new C-130 J sold around the world. Beginning August all the C-130 Js sold to any country will be built in Hyderabad,” Lockheed Martin’s India head Roger M. Rose said.

Designed for special operations, the four-engine aircraft is equipped to take the troops behind the enemy lines enabling to strike them hard. Capable of operating from a short runway, the aircraft can also operate in pitch dark conditions.

Tata Advanced Systems hold 74 percent stakes in this JV and Lockheed retains 26 percent – the prescribed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in the defence sector. Tata Advanced Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons focused on providing integrated solutions for aerospace, defence, homeland security and disaster management.

“This is our first JV in India. These are both major components in an aircraft and this strengthens our foothold in the Indian defence market as well,” said Roger, while beaming about the fact that the firm delivered six C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to the IAF well before the deadline. The IAF had signed the $1billion deal for the six aircraft in 2008.  The Lockheed Martin will be integrating these aero-structures and supplying it global customers.

The Factory is being set up in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Adibhatla near Hyderabad along with its two other JVs. Tata Advanced Systems had earlier entered a JV with Sikorsky Aerospace Services to manufacture helicopter cabins within a unit set up with an investment of Rs. 1,000 crore. It will be manufacturing the cabins for all S-92 helicopters here.

Another of its JV with Israeli Air Force Technologies named NOVA has been allotted 30 acres land in the area.