The Indian Air Force has now decided to deploy its additional six C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft at Panagarh in West Bengal — the likely location of a proposed Army Mountain Corps headquarter — and not in Odisha.
The IAF was earlier planning to deploy the six aircraft in Charbatia in Odisha and an announcement in this regard was made by IAF at a Press conference on October 3.
“We already have an airfield under the Eastern Air Command there in Panagarh and now it has been decided that the additional six C-130Js would be deployed there,” IAF officials said.
The six aircraft would be used by the IAF for looking after the requirements in the North-East and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, they said.
The first six C-130Js, procured at a cost of around USD one billion, have been deployed in Hindon airbase near here and have already started taking part in special operations. The IAF has already sent a Letter of Request (LoR) to the US Government for acquiring another six aircraft.
Officials said representatives from Lockheed Martin-- the American manufacturer of these aircraft — have already carried out a survey of the location for developing the infrastructure for these aircraft.
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