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New Delhi. Teams from two leading Indian universities were named winners in the Lockheed Martin C-130J Roll-On/Roll-Off University Design Challenge during a ceremony held in New Delhi March 8. |
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Lockheed Martin launched the Indian University Design Challenge in November 2014. The company provided research grants for each university team to work with local industry partners and mentors from India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop design specifications for proposed modules that could be used on a Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules cargo aircraft. The Indian Air Force operates a fleet of five C-130J Super Hercules aircraft and is on contract to receive six more. The winning teams for the challenge are from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Chennai and University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun. The teams have been awarded grants to develop prototypes of their modules and additional mentoring to develop a go-to-market strategy. Lockheed Martin will work with each team to explore options with government and industry to mature the prototype for global markets. “Lockheed Martin is excited to see the responses from the universities for the C-130J roll-on/roll-off concept challenge. We are committed to working with the teams to enhance their initial concepts further and bring them to maturity in the global marketplace,” said Abhay Paranjape, Director of Air Mobility Business Development for India at Lockheed Martin. “All of the teams participating in this programme provided unique insight and unmatched enthusiasm for expanding the C-130’s already robust capabilities. There is a very real need for the solutions proposed by these teams in India and around the world.” Along with IIT Chennai and UPES Dehradun teams from three additional universities — IIT Delhi, Delhi Technological University and Birla Institute of Technological Studies Pilani-Goa Campus — participated in the design challenge. The roll-on/roll-off mission capability packages can be installed onto and removed from the C-130J within 30 minutes. When specialised mission capabilities are not required, the mission systems pallet can be removed, and the C-130 J re-tasked as a medium range cargo aircraft for either military or humanitarian operations. The proposed capabilities presented by the winning teams in this competition are expected to increase efficiency and effectiveness of future disaster relief operations supported by C-130 J aircraft. |
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