First 'Super Hercules' handed over

NEW DELHI: The first of the six C-130J
' Super Hercules' military transport aircraft customised for "special
operations", being inducted under a
$1.2 billion deal inked with the US in
late-2008, was handed over to the
Indian Air Force (IAF) near Atlanta on
Thursday. IAF pilots will fly the first two C-130Js
to India towards late-January, while
the next four will come later in 2011.
Even as India is moving towards
ordering another six C-130Js, the first
six will be based at the Hindon airbase on the outskirts of New Delhi. IAF officers say the C-130Js, the latest
version of Hercules with four
powerful engines and greater
payload-carrying capacity, will
enhance India's rapid reaction
capabilities. Capable of even landing on makeshift
airstrips due to their rugged nature,
the C-130Js will primarily be used for
covert airlift missions for special
forces. With India now upgrading airstrips in
forward areas -- both on the western
and eastern fronts -- the aircraft will
also be able to swiftly transport
combat-ready troops to border areas.

India's intention to seriously bolster
its airlift capabilities can also be
gauged from the fact that it will soon
ink the biggest Indo-US defence deal
-- the $4.1 billion one for 10 C-17
Globemaster-III giant strategic airlift aircraft -- with the option of ordering
another six at a later date. The gigantic C-17s are capable of
carrying a payload of 164,900
pounds after taking off from a mere
7,000-feet airstrip. These four-engine
aircraft can transport tanks and
combat-ready troops over 2,400 nautical miles. At present, IAF has just a dozen
Russian-origin IL-76 `Gajraj' aircraft,
with its medium-lift fleet comprising
104 Russian AN-32 aircraft. "Both
C-130Js and C-17s have short-
landing capabilities, which will be crucial in the future," said an officer.