India, Israel considering C-130J

1) "India eyes first US military aircraft"

India has sought information on buying what would be its first U.S. military aircraft, six Lockheed Martin C-130J "Super Hercules" cargo planes, U.S. Air Force officials and others said Friday.

A request for details of a possible purchase from the Indian defense ministry was delivered to the U.S. embassy in New Delhi, which forwarded it to the Air Force's office of international affairs, said Dewey Mitchell, an Air Force spokesman.

"Consideration begins upon receipt of the request," he said in a written reply to queries from Reuters.

Two other people familiar with the matter said India had asked about buying six C-130Js in a letter received by U.S. officials Thursday.

The four-engine turboprop C-130, built by Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin Corp., is the U.S. Air Force's workhorse cargo and personnel transport aircraft. The "J" is its latest model.

Lockheed Martin referred queries about the matter to U.S. officials. The State Department had no immediate comment.

The Indian request for information about a C-130J sale came days after a trade mission to India by the Aerospace Industries Association, which represents top U.S. defense contractors among others.

The C-130J, used by the U.S. Air Force in Iraq, is capable of short takeoffs and landings from unprepared runways. The price per aircraft may top $70 million, depending on configuration...

It would be the first Indian purchase of U.S. military aircraft. U.S. President George W. Bush has sought to develop closer operational ties with India's armed forces, partly as a hedge against China.

2) "Israel prepares for renewal of Lockheed Martin C-130 fleet"

Israel plans to use the results of a survey of the actual flight hours accumulated by its air force Lockheed Martin C-130s to support a decision on whether to replace them with latest-generation C-130Js.

The analysis uses an algorithm developed by Lockheed and the US Air Force designed to determine the stresses experienced by each of the air force's C-130E/Hs since they entered service.

The air force operates its C-130s under extreme conditions, performing low flights over desert areas and take-offs and landings on improvised strips.

The air force wants at least four to six C-130Js to replace C-130Es that are approaching 45 years of age and were given to Israel by the USA from its surplus Vietnam inventory...

The Israeli general staff is expected to make a decision in early 2007 as part of its annual procurement package. An air force source says one option is to purchase a "limited" number of C-130Js to replace the service's oldest C-130Es...

Other countries with C-130Js:

Over 180 C-130J and C-130J-30 aircraft have been ordered and over 121 delivered. Orders are: US Air Force, Air National Guard, Marine Corps and Coastguard (89 x C-130J and C-130J-30, 20 x KC-130J tankers), UK (ten x C-130J, 15 x C-130J-30, all delivered), Italian Air Force (12 x C-130J, ten x C-130J-30 all delivered), Royal Australian Air Force (12 x C-130J), Kuwaiti Air Force (four x C-130J-30) and Danish Air Force (three x C-130J-30, all delivered, plus one ordered in July 2004).

Most recent:

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has received an initial $128 million from the United States government as part of a $256.2 million contract for three C-130J-30 combat delivery aircraft for the U.S. Air Force and one KC-130J tanker for the Marine Corps. These aircraft, slated for delivery in 2010, were authorized and funded by the FY06 Global War on Terror supplemental authorization. This contract brings the total number of C-130Js ordered to date to 186.

Warning: Lockheed Martin is source for info in above para.