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The Obama Administration notified the US Congress
April 23rd of potential sale of these aircraft
to India, with a maximum package of USD 5.8 billion,
inclusive of training, spares and technical assistance.
Announcing the development here, US Ambassador
Tomothy J Roemer said that the deal “demonstrates
our enduring commitment to sharing the world’s
best technology with India” besides strengthening
the growing partnership between the two countries.
The Congress will have mandatory 30 days to consider
any objections, and after that there would be
negotiations between the two countries on the
exact price and the spares, services and any modifications
that the Indian Air Force (IAF) would need as
the user. The first aircraft would be delivered
within three years of the signing of the agreement.
This is India’s biggest deal with any country
yet for any single item. At a later date, IAF
could buy 10 more aircraft as India needs to replace
its less than 20 Soviet vintage IL-76 aircraft,
which actually marked the 25th anniversary of
their induction this month. The first Il-76 had
landed in India on 11 April 1985.
According to the IAF Letter of Request (LoR)
issued in January to the US government for the
C-17s, some Indian-made electronics would have
to be integrated in the aircraft to ensure their
interoperability with other Indian aircraft and
IAF nodes.
Boeing’s India head for Defence Dr Vivek
Lall, told India Strategic: "With
this action, India is now one step closer to modernizing
its airlift capabilities with the world's most
advanced airlifter. The C-17 Globemaster III,
which is available now, is the only airlifter
that possesses true tactical and strategic capabilities.
We believe the C-17 can fulfill India's needs
for military and humanitarian strategic lift and
help it meet its growing domestic and regional
responsibilities."
The aircraft can land and take off quickly at
steep angles from unpaved, grassy fields the size
of a football ground during wartime or natural
calamities.
Dr Lall, a former NASA expert who is now with
Boeing, also said that the agreement would involove
30 per cent offsets, for which Boeing was already
working out details. The matter would be finalised
with the Indian Ministry of Defence once the Congressional
clerance was available.
Notably, the Indian Air Force would need to replace
100 per cent of its IL-76 and 100-plus AN-32 transport
aircraft in the coming years.
At present, IAF has ordered only six Lockheed
Martin C-130J super Hercules aircraft for about
$ one billion with an option for another six.
IAF also fast needs to replace its Soviet-vintage
inventory of fighter jets, and the process to
select 126-plus modern Medium Multi Role Combat
Aircraft (M-MRCA) is already on.
It may be recalled that the acquisition process
for the Indian armed forces was generally paralysed
due to political reasons from 1990 onwards, till
the 1999 Kargil War to evict the Pakistani troops
from the Indian side in Kashmir.
Ambassador Roemer also said in his statement:
“This sale (of C-17s) will offer economic
benefits for both India and the United States
and will likely include significant job creation
in both countries. India is a leading partner
in our efforts to promote regional stability,
peace and economic growth.”
Defence Analyst and Aviation Editor of India
Strategic Air Marshal Ashok Goel (Retd)
described the decision to go in for C-17s as "timely."
Air Marshal Goel, who had brought in the first
IL-76 aircraft to India, observed that the Soviet
aircraft had served the IAF very well and should
have a residual life of 10 to 15 years.The same
should be true for the AN-32, which is now under
upgrade and life extension under a contract with
Ukraine.
But as there is not much choice of military transport
aircraft at the moment in the international market,
quick and timely decisions for both the C-17s
and C-130Js needed to be taken. "By the time
the Soviet vintage aircraft are phased out, IAF
should be well positioned with other - and more
modern - aircraft." Both the C-17 and C-130J
aircraft have "excellent proven records"
and IAF would have to build appropriate capability
requirements, he observed.
A veteran transport pilot, Air Marshal Goel was
the first to land the IL-76 at short and high
altitude airbases of Leh and Thoise, as also at
the port cities/ towns of Port Blair, Car Nicobar,
Colombo and Male during trials and operations.
As for the C-17, in addition to the US Air Force,
it is currently in service with the British Royal
Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the
Canadian Forces, NATO and Qatar. UAE announced
an order for six C-17s in January 2010.
The C-17 would be able to carry one T-90 or one
Arjun tank plus other sytems. Despite its massive
size, it flies like a fighter with a simple joysitck.
Thanks to its automated systems, it is operated
only by a crew of three, two pilots and one loadmaster.
In comparison, the Il 76 operated by the IAF needs
a crew of seven.
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