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Air Chief Marshal P V Naik has told India
Strategic that these aircraft would also
be purchased through the Government-to-Government
route under the US Government’s Foreign Military
Sales (FMS) programme.
The US Air Force (USAF), which is the nodal
agency for the aircraft sale in this case, has
already demonstrated the capability of the C 17,
and met the IAF requirements. One C 17 was also
brought to India in June, and was made to land
and take off from a short field in Himachal as
also from Leh in Jammu & Kashmir.
Discussions between the two governments to finalise
the IAF’s onboard equipment requirements,
spares and service support and their duration
– possibly over the lifetime of the aircraft
– are still being held but likely to be finalized
soon. A deal for the aircraft and the package
price is likely to be signed once the negotiaons
are through.
Boeing says it can deliver the first couple
of aircraft within two years after the agreement.
The C 17 can ferry more than 70 tonnes of load
over long distances, and can also be refueled
midair. IAF has categorized it as the Very Heavy
Transport Aircraft (VHTAC) in its list of requirements.
At present, India has less than 20 Il 76 heavy
lift aircraft, acquired from the Soviet Union
in 1985. The IL 76 can ferry around 45 tonnes.
Notably though, for all aircraft, the range has
to be calculated in accordance with the load and
fuel factors.
The aircraft is now being upgraded with Russian
support to obtain a life extension of 10-15 years,
Air Chief Marshal Naik said.
 The
IL 76 has served the IAF well, giving it strategic
capability for the first time in the 1980s. India
could effectively assist the Maldives Government
in 1988 against a coup attempt, and Air Marshal
Ashok Goel, then a young officer and now
India Strategic’s Editor Aviation,
was among the first to land this aircraft at Hulule
near the Maldivian capital of Male.
Russia does not make the IL 76 any more although
there are reported plans by Moscow to possibly
restart its production lines, which were earlier
spread across the Soviet Union’s Central
Asian constituents (and are now independent).
Asked if IAF would buy more C 17s, Air Chief
Marshal Naik said that a decision could only be
taken after some time, depending upon the requirement.
According to the Boeing company, the Indian Air
Force would be the largest buyer of C 17s – despite
the small number – after the US Air Force, which
is buying 223 of these strategic global transport
aircraft. USAF has already taken delivery of 200
C 17s, the last of them on July 30.
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