On 12 August, India’s Ministry of Defence issued a request for proposals (RfP) to acquire approximately 60 of what it calls Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) for the country’s air force.
The new transport aircraft are being procured to replace the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) ageing Antonov An-32 tactical transport fleet, one that has been in service for more than four decades.
This prospective deal for approximately 60 transport aircraft is expected to cost INR1 trillion (approximately US$10.4 billion).
The selected type will be produced under license in India, with media reports indicating that 20% of the order will be for aircraft in fly-away condition before the start of licensed production. Deliveries are required to commence within 36 months of contract signature.
The Indian firm Mahindra Defence has partnered with Embraer to offer the C-390 Millennium, while Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) have teamed up on behalf of the C-130J.
Media reports also indicate the Airbus A400M is in the MTA fray. The European airframer already has an existing partnership in India with TASL for licensed manufacture of the C295MW tactical transport.
India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is also expected to participate in the programme.
This RfP follows a request for information issued by the Ministry of Defence in February 2023 for the MTA acquisition. At that time, information had been requested for a new transport aircraft in the 18-30-tonne class with potential procurement cases of 40, 60 or 80 aircraft.
The new medium transporter will replace an estimated 100 An-32s that started entering service in 1984.
The IAF also operates twelve C-130J-30s configured for special-mission roles, and these have been in service for 15 years already. Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures (TLMAL) also produces C-130 empennages locally, with over 200 delivered to date.
The C-130J is powered by four Rolls-Royce AE2100 turboprop engines, and it can carry payloads of up to 20 tonnes over a distance of approximately 4,000km.
Embraer’s C-390, meanwhile, is powered by two IAE V2500 turbofan engines, and it can carry payloads of up to 26 tonnes. Compared to the C-130J, which has a maximum speed of around 670km/h, the jet powered C-390 can attain a top speed of 870km/h.
The Airbus A400M is the largest aircraft in the fray, with a payload capacity of 37 tonnes. If carrying a lighter payload of 20 tonnes, it can fly distances up to 6,300km.
by Atul Chandra
