Friday, 11 February , 2005, 05:33
Bangalore: Americas biggest defence firm Lockheed Martin on Thursday said India is planning to buy about 12 P-3C Orion maritime surveillance aircraft and about eight C-130J Hercules transport aircraft for its navy and the air force. "Indian Navy is looking at acquiring anywhere between eight and twelve P-3C Orion and the IAF is planning a smaller number of C-130J Hercules, between six and eight," Lockheed Martin Aerospace Company regional vice president Dennys Plessas told reporters in Bangalore at the Aero India air show.
He said the US Government had issued export licenses for selling the two aircraft to India and US Navy officials would visit New Delhi to discuss with Indian Navy officials about the P-3C Orion planes.
Lockheed on Wednesday said it would reveal the sensitive technology behind the P-3C Orion naval aircraft, to state run aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, the first such by the US with India.
"We believe that the P-3C aircraft will become an important inventory in the Indian navy," Plessas said, adding that Lockheed was in talks with HAL for sourcing components, training and having a service team ready here when the deal comes through. Besides the Hercules C-130J, he said, Lockheed was also in talks with the Indian Air Force and the Border Security Force to sell the C-27J, 10 tonne, multi-mission airlifter, that can carry about 63 troops
