Press Trust of India,
In an apparent bid to pack some more lethality to its anti-hijack and anti-hostage operations, the Indian Air Force proposes to procure specialised American C-130 J transport aircraft.
This was disclosed by the Air Chief S P Tyagi, who said “the IAF is planning to buy C-130 J planes” for special forces.
C-130 J aircraft, which are made by the American aviation giant Lockheed-Martin, are used by special forces in western countries for specialised operations like storming hostage holding centres and hijacked planes.
The aircraft, according to the manufacturers, has a capability to land even in improvised makeshift landing grounds and that too without lights.
According to company sources, the IAF and the Border Security Forces could be in the market to purchase 12 to 13 of such aircraft. IAF presently uses its medium lift AN-32 aircraft as a carrier for special forces.
The IAF, which has 100 of these transport aircraft, is at present undertaking an emergency upgrade of these aircraft as well as heavier IL-76 aircraft to extend their life by 10-20 years.
Lockheed-Martin is also offering the C-130 Hercules aircraft as a replacement for IAF's AN-32 fleet as well as its efforts to build a new 10-15 tonne lift capacity fleet.
