NEW DELHI, March 28. /ITAR-TASS/. Five crew members of a newly acquired Indian Air Force C-130J transport aircraft died when it crashed on Friday morning in the country’s central state of Madhya Pradesh, local NDTV television reported.

The US-made C-130J is also known as the Super Hercules and is the largest in the Indian military. The aircraft crashed some 70 miles west of Gwalior air base shortly after taking off on a regular training flight. There were no immediate reports of any suspected cause.

India and the United States signed a $1.1 billion contract for delivery of six C-130J air force transports in 2008. Media reports have said purchase of six more aircrft was under consideration.

India's air force used Super Hercules aircraft extensively in rescue operations during disastrous floods which hit the country’s north last year. They were also used in the search for the Malaysian airliner which went missing on March 8 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.