January27, 2007: India is buying six C-130J transports from the United States, with an option to buy six more. This would be the first time India bought American military aircraft. Currently, the Indians use Russian military transports (An-32s and Il-76s). The C-130Js are apparently being purchased to support commando operations. The "J" model is the latest version of the C-130, which has been in service for over half a century. Currently, C-130Js sell for about $90 million. The capabilities of the C-130J (which can carry about 20 tons) are superior to anything the Russians offer. India has several thousand, highly regarded, commandos, and has recently been lavishing this force with new weapons and equipment. There are still Indian opponents to the C-130J deal, but the enthusiasm for non-Russian military equipment has grown enormously with the success, over the last few years, of Israeli gear used to deal with Islamic terrorists in Kashmir.