Super Hercules to be cutting edge for covert operations

When it comes to inserting troops in difficult terrain in the shortest possible time, few aircraft can do it better than the US-built C 130 J Super Hercules.

When it comes to inserting troops in difficult terrain in the shortest possible time, few aircraft can do it better than the US-built C 130 J Super Hercules. The last time its predecessor—the C 130 Hercules—operated in India was to stave off an invasion by Chinese troops in 1962.

In response to an urgent call by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the US Air Force rushed its latest Hercules aircraft to quickly land troops in Assam and Ladakh during the Sino-Indian border conflict. At that time, 12 Hercules lifted 5,000 troops to the conflict zone in a record time of four days.

More than four decades down the line, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is all set to procure six specially configured ‘Super Hercules’, that will come in handy during special operations — which involve covert landing of troops in hostile territory in the pitch of darkness.

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While the standard Super Hercules have been operating regularly in Iraq and Afghanistan, what has left IAF pilots drooling are the abilities of the special ops version of the aircraft being specially developed on Indian specifications.

Equipped with a Forward Looking Infra Red (FLIR) sensor, Heads Up Display (HUD) and navigational aids, the aircraft is configured to fly in very low visibility conditions through fog, clouds and even dust-storms. It can even land and take off from an airstrip in pitch dark without using any external lights — an ability that could have come in handy during the 1999 Kandahar hijack crises.

This will effectively give the Air Force the capability to airlift troops and cargo virtually anywhere in the country in all weather conditions, something, IAF officers concede, is not possible with the current Russian origin transport fleet.

“The Indian version will be configured for special operations and is different from any of the C 130 Js being manufactured for international customers. It will fly at lower altitudes and along the nape of the earth. Another feature will be that it can go covert by flicking a single switch that will turn on the black lights and navigational aids,” said Jim Grant, Vice President, Air Mobility and Special Operations of aeronautics giant Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the aircraft.

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It will also bridge a gap in IAF’s transport fleet that currently operates the 10 tonne capacity AN 32s and the 40 tonne IL 76s. The Super Hercules is configured to carry loads in excess of 20 tonnes. While the IL 76s, which is the mainstay of the Air Force, are occasionally grounded at high altitude airfields on hot days, the Super Hercules can lift a 10 tonne cargo load from the airbase at the hottest possible day in the region. An added advantage is that the rugged aircraft can land and take off even from short, semi prepared runways in “hot and high” conditions. The aircraft also has an automated cargo handling system that uses an onboard computer to achieve accuracies of over 98 per cent – priceless for dropping supplies near the border, putting in troops into a conflict zone or providing humanitarian relief.

Also packed into the aircraft are goodies like missile warning systems, missile counter measure, radar warning systems, electronic countermeasure systems and secure communication systems — essential for carrying out special operations.

Another interesting thing the IAF is looking for is to use the aircraft in the unique role of a helicopter refuler. After an Expression of Interest from Air Chief Marshal F H Major, engineers have found a way to configure the aircraft for refuelling slow moving transport helicopters, light observation choppers and even attack helicopters at an “extra cost”.

However, it will take at least three years for deliveries to start after signing of the final contract between the Indian and US governments.