Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 29
With the IAF having acquired six additional C-130J Super Hercules tactical transport aircraft over the past couple of years, the older versions of the aircraft that were inducted in 2011 would be upgraded.
The IAF has approached US aerospace major Lockheed Martin, the aircraft’s manufacturer, earlier this month, for modifying five older aircraft to bring them technically on a par with the newer aircraft. The aircraft would be upgraded in India.
According to a senior transport pilot, there are some differences in the capabilities, avionics and software configuration in the two batches of aircraft, which need to be standardised across the fleet. This would require physical modifications to the rear ramp and doors, software upgrades in the aircraft’s mission computer and diagnostic system and upgrade of the colour multi-purpose display units in the flight deck.
Two IAF units, No. 77 Squadron (called the Veiled Vipers) based at Hindon near Delhi and No. 87 Squadron (called the Raiding Raptor) at Panagarh in the east, operate the Hercules. The aircraft have been actively involved in air maintenance operations to forward areas, disaster relief and special missions. In August 2013, the IAF created a record by performing the highest landing of a C-130J at the Daulat Beg Oldie airstrip in Ladakh at height of 16,614 feet.
In March 2014, one aircraft from the first batch crashed at Gwalior during a low-level training mission after it got into the wake turbulence of another aircraft, killing all five personnel onboard. Reports indicate that a new aircraft is being bought to replace the loss. In 2017, another C-130 suffered serious damage to an engine and wing after it veered off the runway while taxiing during night and rammed into a ground structure at Thoise airfield in Ladakh. The IAF had approached the Americans for its repair.
India signed a deal with the US in 2008 for the first six aircraft for its special operations forces, with an option to procure another six. In December 2013, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the order for six more aircraft. The second batch was inducted in 2017-18.
from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2wz3UXb
via Today’s News Headlines
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