New Delhi: Keen on replacing the ageing Russian IL-76 transport aircraft in the Indian Air Force (IAF), the ministry of defence has approved in principle the purchase of the US-based Boeing's C-17 heavy-lift Globemaster III. The deal is worth over $2 billion.
"The C-17s have been short listed after IAF carried out a thorough study on its capability to take-off and land on short runways with heavy loads. The defency ministry has sent a letter to the US administration seeking a formal offer for these machines," highly placed sources on conditions of anonymity told FE. This development comes ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the US.
Sources said the C-17 deal was discussed and cleared at a recent meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by defence minister AK Antony. The deal, likely to be inked in few months, will be discussed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the US.
Initially, the IAF will place an order for 10 C-17s through the US government's foreign military sales (FMS) route, and may later go in for a follow-on order, sources said. "For an FMS contract, the US administration, after receiving a letter of request from the MoD, will seek Congressional approval before making a formal offer."
"If accepted, the aircraft should be inducted in about three years after the contract is signed," sources added. Most of IAF's transport aircraft were acquired in the 1980s and the air force is keen to acquire new generation aircraft to replace and augment its fleet.
The US ambassador in New Delhi, while pitching for robust India-US military ties, has reportedly said, "America is ready to support India's drive to modernise its armed forces."
India has ordered for six C-130J aircraft (from Lockheed Martin) for its special forces operations and these aircraft will be based at the Hindan air base in Ghaziabad.
C-130J Super Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft made by Lockheed Martin capable of carrying 20 tonne or 92 fully armed airborne troops.
C-17 Globemaster is a larger Boeing-made military transport aircraft capable of carrying 75 tonne or 135 troops.
According to the former Air Chief Fali Homi Major, "… with India emerging as a global economic power, it is necessary that the IAF enhance its capabilities to fulfill new responsibilities. And, to meet these new security challenges, the IAF needs strategic reach, there is a necessity to build up our strategic assets …"
Comments from ThaiIndian News analysis
ReplyDeleteIAF chooses Boeing’s latest C-17 for heavy-lift transport aircraft, 14 June, 2009:
"Excellent analysis by Gulshan Luthra, although the maximum payload for C-17 is 87 tonnes, not 70. As was recently noted in an Aviation Week response outlining the extraordinary capabilities of this aircraft, and, in my opinion, a concerted effort to bring about its demise to render others desirous of participating in an arena C-17 dominates — tactical/strategic airlift — an opportunity, the author proferred the following:
“The U.S. already has an answer for tactical and strategic airlift, and it’s called C-17. As experience has demonstrated in Iraq, Afghanistan, humanitarian/disaster relief, Antarctic re-supply and elsewhere around the globe, the C-17 has proven itself, perhaps inarguably, as the best tactical/strategic airlifter the world has ever known. Tell me please, are there places of true tactical significance the C130J goes that C-17 cannot? (Payload: 25T vs 87T)...
“If permissible within this medium of communication, I strongly suggest that AW [Thaindian and Soldier's Corner as well] readers — and for that matter the editorial staff — take a long exhaustive look at the data contained with a recent press release from Global HeavyLift Holdings, LLC (http://www.pressrelease365.com/pr/industry/aerospace/global-heavylift-bc-17-3455.htm additional ref: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/05/29/214240/boeing-close-to-launching-commercial-bc-17.html) relative to C-17 production continuance. It also seems to totally neutralize, and decidedly so, the arguments presented by the SECDEF as compelling reasons to kill C-17, not the least of which is the multi-billon retrofit through RERP/REAMP of Lockheed-Martin’s C-5 Galaxy(M)an aircraft which has never met mission expectations; currently turning in a 56% mission completion rate. In other words, half the time it’s flying, half the time it’s not.
“Really, how can presumably logical people both within government and industry try to justify the termination of a relatively new (operational 1993)airlift aircraft that has met and exceeded expectations in favor of retrofitting 35-42 year-old C-5s originally designed for a Cold War mission and that require complete control of the skies to safely operate in a war theater?
“The content in this release, I believe, should forever lay to rest the completely unnecessary discussions regarding the “tactical airlift” problem for the US and most NATO allies...
“The only problem is that there aren’t enough C-17s, and according to some whose opinions count, up to 600 aircraft to cover a global asymmetric/conventional warfighting mission are required. Such a fleet expansion would permit new levels of rapid deployment even into austere locales with minimal mission repetitiveness.
A wise man once, said, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”… perfectly analogous to C-17…”
Compliments to the IAF for recognizing, at this stage of evaluation-for-acquisition process, the intrinsic flexibility,capacity, all-environmental capability coupled with superb airborne athleticism, of Boeing C-17.
Addendum comments 21 June, 2009:
"Colleagues: As a follow-on to Gulshan’s analysis, and continued scrutiny of the IAF decision regarding C-17, additional data contained within a subsequent release dated today (6/20/09;EST) should be of compelling interest, especially the theft of Aegis BMD by China.
This, I believe, should be a continuing topic of conversation, since the potential impact will be felt far beyond China’s borders.
“The Battle of The South China Sea: 2011″ scenario presented by national security strategist Dr. Sheila Ronis, should make for varying levels of intense discussion as well."
http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/global-heavylift-holdings-llc-cites-%E2%80%9Cabsolute-need%E2%80%9D-boeing-c17based-us-industrial-base-supply-chain-
Myron D. Stokes
Managing Member
Global HeavyLift Holdings, LLC
http://www.emotionreports.com