India's Defence Milestone: Tata Breaks Ground on Lockheed Martin C-130J MRO Hub

The state-of-the-art C-130 MRO facility will provide depot-level and heavy maintenance; component repair, overhaul, and structural checks and testing; structural restoration and avionics upgrades; expanded training for Indian engineers and maintainers; and new opportunities for Indian suppliers across the C-130 supply chain, according to a joint statement Monday.

The construction is expected to finish by the end of 2026, and the facility is expected to receive the first C-130 for MRO operations in early 2027, the statement noted.

This builds on the companies' 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.

The groundbreaking ceremony brought together senior officials from the Indian Air Force (IAF), government dignitaries, industry leaders and senior executives from Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems.

"Today's groundbreaking reflects how far our collaboration with Tata Advanced Systems and India has come, and where we're headed together," said Lockheed Martin's Chief Operating Officer Frank St. John.

"For more than seven decades, we've grown alongside India's expanding aerospace and defense industrial base. This new C-130 MRO facility strengthens that foundation. 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. We remain committed to building capability for India and from India for decades to come," Frank St. John added.

Sukaran Singh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Tata Advanced Systems, said, "This milestone marks more than the establishment of a new facility--it represents India's growing confidence and capability in shaping its own defence future. The MRO venture strengthens our aerospace ecosystem, creating a foundation for innovation, skill development, and global competitiveness."

Tata Advanced Systems, Lockheed Martin's long-standing partner in manufacturing C-130 empennages and other aerostructure assemblies in India, will play a central role in operating the new facility.

Last week, Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) celebrated the delivery of its 250th C-130J tail, marking another achievement in the US-India relationship and decades-long investment commitment.

The Defence MRO facility will join the existing global network of Lockheed Martin Certified Service Centers and will be strategically located to service the C-130J Super Hercules, KC-130J and C-130 B-H legacy aircraft in the future.

"The C-130J Super Hercules is a proven workhorse for India's military and humanitarian missions," said Rod McLean, vice president and general manager, Lockheed Martin Air Mobility and Maritime Missions. "This Defence MRO facility will bolster response time and security in the Pacific, ensure world-class sustainment capability within India aligning with the country's ambitions while advancing sustainment capability for the C-130J fleet across the globe.

"The C-130J and India have repeatedly achieved firsts together," said McLean. "The C-130 completed a world-record breaking and unprecedented high-altitude landing at Daulat Beg Oldi. More recently, it touched down at Nayoma Air Base in eastern Ladakh, marking the inauguration of the world's highest operational fighter base. This new MRO represents another historic first and a unique opportunity to lay the groundwork for a generational partnership between the C-130 platform and India."

With a presence that spans more than three decades, Lockheed Martin has been a trusted partner to India's defense and aerospace ecosystem accelerating its manufacturing, skilling and technical capabilities while demonstrating existing support of "Make in India" initiatives and the vision of the Indian government.

- ANI