By Trish Pagan
Vice President, Lockheed Martin Air Mobility and Maritime Missions
At Lockheed Martin, we’re proud of our more than 70 years of unrivaled expertise building the C-130J-30, a true workhorse of the skies. Our production facility in the United States stands as testament to enduring excellence and operating strong for more than 75 years.
Our association with India goes back 70 years, when Lockheed Martin’s Super Constellation first touched down in India in 1956. This airplane didn’t just carry passengers and cargo—it carried a vision of a connected, modern nation and a state‑of‑the‑art transport solution leading to our rich history of building airplanes together and our continued presence over the past 30 years, to include consistent investment and manufacturing through our two Joint Ventures for nearly 16 years now. As a result, we have produced jobs, grew the Indian supply chain ecosystems, and a history of proven performance. Our legacy reflects our mutual purpose and commitment to our customers, our global community and to one another.
Today, carrying 22,000 kgs of payload, the C-130J-30 Super Hercules is Made in India, benefiting India and the world, and is designed for any environment.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) Super Hercules has not just endured extreme high-altitude flying, but also demonstrated the ability to land on austere runways, achieved superior performance in extreme temperatures, and possesses unrivaled versatility, maintaining global benchmarks and truly cementing itself as the unrivaled leader of tactical air missions.
From supporting multiple IAF missions and critical rescue operations, to delivering heavy lifesaving equipment to trapped miners on a confined gravel landing strip in Uttarakhand, the C-130J-30 has proven its utility. The Super Hercules has performed dark‑night, zero‑visibility evacuations of Indian nationals from Afghanistan and Sudan, and landed on the new Purvanchal Expressway with the Prime Minister on board. Together with the Indian Air Force, the C-130J-30 makes the impossible, possible.
India and Lockheed Martin achieved firsts together to include international renown for a record‑breaking high‑altitude landing at Daulat Beg Oldie.
Prime Minister Modi achieved another historic milestone by landing aboard a C-130J-30 Super Hercules at the newly established Nyoma Air Base, the world’s highest operational air base. The flight demonstrated the base’s preparedness, operational readiness and the nation’s confidence in the Super Hercules, once again proving its ability to operate under any conditions.
In another instance, the Prime Minister’s C-130J-30 successfully landed at Assam’s newly inaugurated first emergency landing facility which is strategically located just 300 km from the China border.
More recently, IAF C-130J-30s served as rapid first responders, airlifting crucial humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies to Kathmandu during the severe Nepal flash floods in late August and early September 2026.
The confidence in the C-130J-30 isn’t by chance, it is built through decades of rigor, trust and established partnership, and working side-by-side.
Through diverse operations, the Indian Air Force and the C-130J-30 routinely showcase reliability, versatility and strength. Proven in every challenging operational environment, the C-130J-30’s versatility across 20 missions and its structural durability is the standard for reliability, safety and excellence.
Our two state-of-the-art joint venture manufacturing partnerships in India with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) – Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) and Tata Sikorsky Aerospace Limited (TSAL) – have resulted in Indian manufacturing capability for the C-130J-30 as a single global source, fighter wing and S-92 helicopter components and parts while facilitating Indian industry’s participation in Lockheed Martin’s global supply chain.
In 2011, TLMAL began producing C-130J-30 Super Hercules airframe components. Since 2013, TLMAL has built all empennages, the entire tail section of the aircraft, which provide the C-130J-30’s stability and control. More than 265 empennages have been built till date. This joint venture is a great example of U.S.-India industrial partnership and continued momentum for further development of aerospace manufacturing in the country.
To reflect future growth and commitment to India, we broke ground on a new Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Bengaluru. The C-130J-30J MRO will be fully operational in 2027. TASL and LM will develop an indigenous sustainment support network achieving not only “Made in India” but also “Sustained in India.” This endeavor builds on the long-standing industrial partnership and will significantly enhance in-country sustainment for the Indian Air Force, while also creating opportunities for broader regional and global support.
Our legacy together is not just about an aircraft, it’s about decades of performance, partnership and an ability to deliver, setting the standard for tactical airlifters.
With more than 3 million flight hours globally and 58,000 hours with the IAF, the C-130J-30 is the perfect fit for India’s requirements blending unrivaled total value, industrial investment, innovation, interoperability, partnership, and performance.
The world benefits from what we build together. The C-130J-30 Super Hercules and our relationship are truly Built to Deliver. Built to Last.™
No matter the mission, no matter the location, no matter the challenge, the C-130J-30 Super Hercules and Indian Air Force goes where other airlifters can’t, don’t, and won’t go.
But, no matter the situation, India and Lockheed Martin are there together!
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