Gor for deeper aerospace ties at Tata-Lockheed hub

Hyderabad: US Ambassador Sergio Gor on Monday visited the Tata-Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Ltd (TLMAL) manufacturing facility in Hyderabad, highlighting the growing defence and aerospace cooperation between India and the US as the Indian Air Force (IAF) moves to acquire up to 80 Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA).

Gor said the production in India of critical structures for the C-130J military transport aircraft was a strong example of growing US-India defence cooperation and would support the shared vision of a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific.

Established in 2010, the Tata Advanced Systems-Lockheed Martin joint venture is the single global source of C-130J empennage assemblies fitted on all new Super Hercules aircraft produced in the US.

The joint venture is now seeking to leverage its established manufacturing capabilities to compete for India’s multi-billion-dollar MTA programme. Lockheed Martin’s C-130J, Embraer Defence and Security’s C-390 Millennium and Airbus Defence and Space’s A-400M have emerged as contenders. The IAF currently operates 12 C-130J aircraft. During his visit, Gor toured the production line manufacturing empennages for the C-130J Super Hercules.

“The production in India of critical structures for the C-130J… is a strong example of the growing industrial and defence cooperation between the United States and India,” Gor said, adding that such partnerships support high-skilled jobs and strengthen resilient supply chains.

Sukaran Singh, CEO and MD of Tata Advanced Systems, said the partnership with Lockheed Martin had demonstrated its ability to supply world-class aerostructures for key programmes.