IAF C-130 J Transport-Aircraft
Tata Advanced Systems C-130J Defence MRO Facility in India: Bengaluru, December 8, 2025 — Tata Advanced Systems and Lockheed Martin have officially broken ground on a new Defence Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India to support the C-130J Super Hercules fleet. The facility is expected to significantly enhance in-country sustainment for the Indian Air Force (IAF) while opening opportunities for regional and global C-130 operations.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by senior IAF officials, government dignitaries, industry leaders, and executives from Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems. Speaking at the event, Frank St. John, Chief Operating Officer of Lockheed Martin, said the facility reflects the deepening industrial partnership between the U.S. company and India. “It brings world-class sustainment capability into India, improves readiness for the Indian Air Force, and creates opportunities that will support regional and global C-130 operators,” he said.
Tata Advanced Systems CEO and MD Sukaran Singh described the venture as a milestone in India’s defence industrial growth. “The MRO facility strengthens our aerospace ecosystem, creating a foundation for innovation, skill development, and global competitiveness,” he said.
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The state-of-the-art MRO facility will provide:
1. Depot-level and heavy maintenance
2. Component repair, overhaul, and structural checks and testing
3. Structural restoration and avionics upgrades
4. Expanded training for Indian engineers and maintainers
5. Opportunities for Indian suppliers across the C-130 supply chain
Tata Advanced Systems, already Lockheed Martin’s partner in manufacturing C-130 empennages and other aerostructures in India, will operate the new facility. Last week, the companies celebrated the delivery of the 250th C-130J tail, highlighting the long-standing collaboration.
The MRO centre will be part of Lockheed Martin’s global network of certified service centres and will support C-130J Super Hercules, KC-130J, and legacy C-130B/H aircraft. Rod McLean, VP and GM of Lockheed Martin Air Mobility and Maritime Missions, said the facility will enhance response times, bolster operational security in the Pacific, and advance global sustainment capabilities for the C-130J fleet.
Since India’s first C-130J-30 arrived in 2011, the IAF has used the aircraft for record-setting operations, including high-altitude landings at Daulat Beg Oldi and the world’s highest operational fighter base at Nayoma Air Base in eastern Ladakh. The new MRO facility is expected to receive its first aircraft in early 2027, with construction slated for completion by the end of 2026.
The C-130J-30 offers interoperability with global air forces, low lifecycle costs, and reduced fuel consumption, supporting a wide range of missions including combat delivery, medevac, maritime patrol, aerial refueling, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, and peacekeeping operations. With more than 3 million flight hours logged by over 560 C-130Js worldwide, the aircraft remains a backbone of tactical airlift missions, and the new MRO facility will further strengthen India’s self-reliance in defence maintenance and aerospace capabilities.
