Lockheed Martin and India’s Tata Advanced Systems Limited have entered into a teaming agreement to expand their business relationship centered on the C-130J Super Hercules tactical airlifter. This collaboration aims to enhance India’s defense and aerospace capabilities while strengthening India-U.S. strategic ties.
The agreement outlines two primary areas of potential cooperation:
1. Establishing a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility in India to support the Indian Air Force‘s (IAF) existing fleet of 12 C-130Js and other global Super Hercules fleets.
2. Expanding C-130J manufacturing and assembly in India to produce aircraft for the IAF’s Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program, subject to U.S. and Indian government approvals.
Lockheed Martin will continue to build C-130Js for the U.S. government and other global operators at its existing facility in Marietta, Georgia. However, it plans to establish additional production and assembly capacity in India if awarded the MTA contract.
The IAF is seeking to acquire up to 80 medium transport aircraft and has issued a request for information. Lockheed Martin has responded, proposing the C-130J-30 Super Hercules as an ideal solution.
Since 2011, when India received its first C-130J-30, the IAF has demonstrated the aircraft’s capabilities, including operations at the world’s highest airfield and challenging night missions in adverse weather conditions.
This agreement builds upon an existing partnership between Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems through their joint venture, Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Ltd. (TLMAL). Established in 2010, TLMAL is the single global source of C-130J empennage assemblies for all new Super Hercules aircraft produced in the United States, having manufactured over 220 empennages to date.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
