Washington: India has sought information on buying what would be its first US military aircraft, six Lockheed Martin C-130J "Super Hercules" cargo planes, US Air Force officials said on Friday.
A request for details of a possible purchase from the Indian defense ministry was delivered to the US embassy in New Delhi, which forwarded it to the Air Force's office of international affairs, said an Air Force spokesman, Dewey Mitchell.
"Consideration begins upon receipt of the request," he said in a written reply to queries from Reuters.
Two other people familiar with the matter said India had asked about buying six C-130Js in a letter received by US officials on Thursday.
The four-engine turboprop C-130, built by Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin Corp., is the US Air Force's workhorse cargo and personnel transport aircraft. The "J" is its latest model.
Lockheed Martin referred queries about the matter to US officials. The State Department had no immediate comment.
The Indian request for information about a C-130J sale came days after a trade mission to India by the Aerospace Industries Association, which represents top US defense contractors among others.
The C-130J, used by the US Air Force in Iraq, is capable of short takeoffs and landings from unprepared runways.
The price per aircraft may top $70 million, depending on configuration. The possible sale is subject to US Congressional approval. It would be the first Indian purchase of US military aircraft.
US President George W Bush has sought to develop closer operational ties with India's armed forces, partly as a hedge against China.
The Bush administration already has offered India a choice of two US fighter aircraft - Lockheed's F-16 and Boeing Co.'s F-18 SuperHornet - as entrants in a multi-role fighter aircraft competition New Delhi is organising.
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