India and the US have inked another mega contract, the $1.01 billion one for six additional C-130J “Super Hercules” aircraft, while some others are being finalized.
Defence ministry sources said the “letter of offer and acceptance” for the six new four-engine C-130Js, which will be delivered within three years, was signed on Friday under the US government’s “foreign military sales” (FMS) programme.
IAF already has six C-130Js tactical airlift aircraft, ordered for $962 million in 2007, which are based at the Hindon airbase on the outskirts of Delhi. The six new C-130Js, also configured for “special operations” as the first six, will be based at Panagarh in West Bengal.
Panagarh will also house the headquarters of the new mountain strike corps, christened XVII Corps with a total of over 80,000 soldiers, being raised by the Army in a project worth around Rs 90,000 crore. This new corps will plug operational gaps along the 4,057-km LAC as well as give “some serious ground offensive capabilities” against China for the first time.
The rugged C-130J, as also the bigger C-17 Globemaster-III strategic airlift aircraft acquired from the US, can even land at a small forward airbase on a semi-prepared runway. Crucial to counter China’s massive build-up of border infrastructure.
INKED DEALS
2007 : $962 million for 6 C-130J ‘Super Hercules’ aircraft
2009 : $2.1 billion for 8 P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft
2010 : $170 million for 24 Harpoon Block-II anti-ship missiles for Jaguar fighters
2011 : $4.1 billion for 10 C-17 Globemaster-III giant strategic airlift aircraft
2012 : $822 million for 99 GE F-414 engines for Tejas Light Combat Aircraft
2013 : $1.01 billion for 6 more C-130J
Defence ministry sources said the “letter of offer and acceptance” for the six new four-engine C-130Js, which will be delivered within three years, was signed on Friday under the US government’s “foreign military sales” (FMS) programme.
IAF already has six C-130Js tactical airlift aircraft, ordered for $962 million in 2007, which are based at the Hindon airbase on the outskirts of Delhi. The six new C-130Js, also configured for “special operations” as the first six, will be based at Panagarh in West Bengal.
Panagarh will also house the headquarters of the new mountain strike corps, christened XVII Corps with a total of over 80,000 soldiers, being raised by the Army in a project worth around Rs 90,000 crore. This new corps will plug operational gaps along the 4,057-km LAC as well as give “some serious ground offensive capabilities” against China for the first time.
The rugged C-130J, as also the bigger C-17 Globemaster-III strategic airlift aircraft acquired from the US, can even land at a small forward airbase on a semi-prepared runway. Crucial to counter China’s massive build-up of border infrastructure.
INKED DEALS
2007 : $962 million for 6 C-130J ‘Super Hercules’ aircraft
2009 : $2.1 billion for 8 P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft
2010 : $170 million for 24 Harpoon Block-II anti-ship missiles for Jaguar fighters
2011 : $4.1 billion for 10 C-17 Globemaster-III giant strategic airlift aircraft
2012 : $822 million for 99 GE F-414 engines for Tejas Light Combat Aircraft
2013 : $1.01 billion for 6 more C-130J
No comments:
Post a Comment