Embraer and Lockheed Martin in India: India has decided to move forward with a big plan to buy new transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The country’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the purchase of 60 medium transport aircraft.
According to reports, the plan is not only about buying aircraft from outside. India wants most of them to be made inside the country. Out of the 60 aircraft, 12 will be bought fully built and ready to fly. The remaining 48 aircraft will have to be manufactured in India. This rule will be one of the most important conditions for the companies that want to win the contract.
The aircraft will be used by the Indian Air Force for military transport work. These planes help move soldiers, equipment, and supplies during missions.
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Big Companies Competing
According to Times Now, two major aircraft makers are expected to compete for this deal. The Brazilian company Embraer will offer its C-390 aircraft. The American defence company Lockheed Martin will offer the C-130J aircraft.
Both companies are also working with Indian partners. Embraer has partnered with Mahindra in India. Lockheed Martin is working together with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).
The final decision will be made after the Indian government studies the applications and proposals from both companies.
Earlier India was thinking about buying up to 80 aircraft under this programme. Now the number has been reduced to 60. Even after this change the deal is still very large and important for the air force.
Another aircraft that was once being considered was the European A400M Atlas. But now it looks like India may not include it in the competition. The A400M is a bigger aircraft and would likely cost more than the other options.
Why India Needs New Transport Aircraft?
India wants to replace some old transport aircraft that are currently used by the air force. These include about 17 Il-76 aircraft and around 100 An-32 aircraft which are getting older.
The country has already started replacing some of the An-32 planes earlier. In January 2021 India signed a deal with Airbus to buy 56 C-295 aircraft. This contract was worth almost €3 billion. The first aircraft from this order was built in 2023.
At the same time companies are also trying to strengthen their chances in the new 60-aircraft competition. In January this year Embraer shared its plan to localise the C-390 aircraft in India. The plan includes building maintenance and repair facilities for the aircraft inside the country. The company also confirmed its partnership with Mahindra for this effort.
Lockheed Martin already has experience working with India in this area. The Indian Air Force already uses some C-130J aircraft. These aircraft are built by Lockheed Martin and they are the main competitor to the Brazilian C-390 in this new project.
Last year Lockheed Martin and TASL also announced that they had started building a new facility in India. This facility will be used for maintenance and repair work for the C-130J aircraft.
