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PICTURES: Lockheed flies India's first C-130J
By Craig Hoyle
India's first US-built military transport has made its debut flight, with the Lockheed Martin C-130J having taken to the air from Marietta, Georgia on 4 October.
The first of six stretched-fuselage Hercules on order for the Indian air force, aircraft KC-3801 will be followed by two more examples getting airborne "within the next few weeks", Lockheed says.
Both images © Lockheed Martin
"The aircraft will now complete a series of company and customer flight tests prior to delivery in December," the company says.
New Delhi signed a contract for its new tactical transports in 2007.
The aircraft will feature equipment including an in-flight refuelling probe and a FLIR Systems AAQ-22 Star Safire III electro-optical/infrared sensor turret.
© Lockheed Martin
The Indian air force is also hoping to close a deal later this year for a proposed fleet of 10 Boeing C-17 strategic transports.
The manufacturer has already signed a contract to equip the Indian navy with eight of its Boeing 737-based P-8I maritime patrol aircraft.
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