Brazil's Embraer C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft

The Indian Air Force has abandoned its plan to procure six additional C-130J Super Hercules aircraft via a direct foreign military sale, opting instead to integrate these requirements into the forthcoming Medium Transport Aircraft tender.

This shift consolidates the service's tactical airlift needs under a single, expansive programme valued at over $5 billion, targeting up to 80 aircraft for induction starting in the early 2030s.

The decision underscores a broader pivot towards fleet rationalisation and bolstering indigenous manufacturing in line with the 'Make in India' and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

The IAF currently maintains a fleet of 12 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, inducted progressively since 2011, which serve as the cornerstone for special operations missions. These versatile platforms excel in short-field operations, demonstrated by landings at high-altitude sites like Daulat Beg Oldi Advanced Landing Ground in Ladakh at over 16,600 feet.

The proposed follow-on order of six units aimed to offset losses from a 2014 crash near Gwalior, which claimed five crew lives due to factors including inadequate training, while enhancing readiness for two-front warfare scenarios.

Defence sources reveal that the IAF now favours a unified platform to address diverse roles, avoiding the logistical burdens of disparate fleets with separate sustainment chains.

Funds initially allocated for the standalone C-130J deal have been repurposed to fuel the MTA competition, which primarily seeks a successor to the ageing Antonov An-32 fleet—a long-serving workhorse plagued by diminishing serviceability rates.

The An-32s, numbering over 100 in active service, urgently require replacement to sustain tactical transport, paratrooper drops, and logistics in challenging terrains.

The MTA tender imposes stringent indigenisation mandates, demanding at least 30 per cent local content in avionics, subsystems, and manufacturing processes. By embedding special forces capabilities within this framework, the IAF anticipates economies of scale, streamlined logistics, and deeper integration of Indian-designed components.

The program's revised specifications emphasise a payload range of 18 to 30 tons, with a pivotal stipulation to airlift the 25-tonne Zorawar light tank—elevating demands beyond the C-130J's 20-tonne limit.

This payload criterion disadvantages the C-130J, despite Lockheed Martin's robust presence in India, including TATA Advanced Systems' production of empennages in Hyderabad and the ground breaking in December 2025 for a dedicated C-130 MRO facility in Bangalore.

The new MRO hub, set for completion by late 2026, will support global Super Hercules fleets through heavy maintenance, upgrades, and training, yet may not sway the tender's technical hurdles. Lockheed remains a contender, pitching enhancements like the Distributed Aperture System from F-35 integration.

Embraer's C-390 Millennium surges ahead with its 26-ton payload, aerial refuelling versatility, and low-maintenance design, fortified by a late-2025 strategic pact with Mahindra Defence Systems.

The Brazil-India alliance aligns with Atmanirbhar goals, positioning the C-390 for multi-role duties including medical evacuation and special operations. Airbus' A400M Atlas, boasting a 37-ton capacity, offers unmatched heavy-lift prowess but at elevated costs, appealing for strategic overmatch in Indo-Pacific contingencies.

Russia's Ilyushin Il-276, with a 20-ton limit, eyes re-entry post the 2016 cancellation of a HAL collaboration, though it struggles against heavier rivals.

The tender's Acceptance of Necessity from the Defence Acquisition Council is imminent, potentially by late December 2025 or early 2026, triggering formal bids. Deliveries could commence within 36 months of contract award, reshaping IAF squadrons for high-altitude ops, amphibious assaults, and hybrid threats.

This procurement emerges as one of India's most pivotal defence deals, balancing operational imperatives with self-reliance amid intensifying regional tensions. Global majors intensify Indian partnerships—TATA with Lockheed, Mahindra with Embraer—fostering technology transfer and jobs. The outcome will define the IAF's tactical airlift doctrine for decades, prioritising versatility over legacy familiarity.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)

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