Boeing offers KC-46 tanker to India

[Vergennes]

A KC-46 refuels a C-17 Globemaster III as an F-16 keeps watch | Photo: Boeing

U.S. aviation giant Boeing has offered India its KC-46 mid-air refueling aircraft, shortly after the withdrawal of the USD 1 billion Indian Air Force (IAF) tender for six tankers in July. This was the second time a tender for the aircraft was cancelled. The Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) had been selected both times, beating the Russian IL-78, an aircraft already operated by the IAF. The European aerospace and defense company had extended the validity of its bid several times before the tender was withdrawn.

Sources in the IAF told StratPost that Boeing has already sent in representatives to brief New Delhi on the aircraft. Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar was also apprised of the capabilities of the aircraft during his recent visit to the U.S.

Boeing’s KC-46 program was selected by the USAF for its USD 51 billion KC-X tanker requirement. The KC-46 is based on Boeing’s 767 commercial airliner.

Boeing has never participated in either of the two Indian tanker contests, but had admitted the possibility that it might offer the aircraft to India, in the event it was finally selected for the U.S. tanker program. At this point, it remains unclear if the defense ministry and the IAF will issue a Request For Proposal (RFP) for the third time or if they will choose the government-to-government approach to purchase the type without a tender.

http://www.stratpost.com/boeing-offers-kc-46-tanker-india

 

[Blue Marlin]

it would be best to do what brazil did and buy the 767 second hand and then convert it into a tanker.
heck you an do that to the a330, the aussies did that.
pick, a330 or 767 and why?

 

[Echo_419]

A KC-46 refuels a C-17 Globemaster III as an F-16 keeps watch | Photo: Boeing

U.S. aviation giant Boeing has offered India its KC-46 mid-air refueling aircraft, shortly after the withdrawal of the USD 1 billion Indian Air Force (IAF) tender for six tankers in July. This was the second time a tender for the aircraft was cancelled. The Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) had been selected both times, beating the Russian IL-78, an aircraft already operated by the IAF. The European aerospace and defense company had extended the validity of its bid several times before the tender was withdrawn.

Sources in the IAF told StratPost that Boeing has already sent in representatives to brief New Delhi on the aircraft. Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar was also apprised of the capabilities of the aircraft during his recent visit to the U.S.

Boeing’s KC-46 program was selected by the USAF for its USD 51 billion KC-X tanker requirement. The KC-46 is based on Boeing’s 767 commercial airliner.

Boeing has never participated in either of the two Indian tanker contests, but had admitted the possibility that it might offer the aircraft to India, in the event it was finally selected for the U.S. tanker program. At this point, it remains unclear if the defense ministry and the IAF will issue a Request For Proposal (RFP) for the third time or if they will choose the government-to-government approach to purchase the type without a tender.

http://www.stratpost.com/boeing-offers-kc-46-tanker-india

I think we are going for the Russian option this time

 

[randomradio]

The Russians may have made a better offer based on their new IL-476, a longer version of the IL-76.

 

[PARIKRAMA]

@Vergennes

https://defence.pk/threads/india-cancels-deal-for-six-airbus-tankers.441923/page-4#post-8522050

September 05

https://defence.pk/threads/pentagon-backs-proposal-to-give-us-fighter-jets-‘make-in-india’-tag.447731/


@Blue Marlin
If we dont buy F16s then we have to buy something to keep all folks happy in USA for the geo strategic help POV.

On top Boeing has a MRO facility with Air India so basically it minimizes the cost for after sales and support too

 

[Blue Marlin]

The Russians may have made a better offer based on their new IL-476, a longer version of the IL-76.

chances are they would do a "joint" development and india would not be happy with the specs and leave and leave it self on the pathway. just like the 214.
but russia will continue and not care

 

[randomradio]

chances are they would do a "joint" development and india would not be happy with the specs and leave and leave it self on the pathway. just like the 214.
but russia will continue and not care

On a more serious note, not this time. The Russians wanted the 214 to be based on the IL-476's engines, India wanted new engines. Here, the IL-476 has already been developed, so there's nothing left to develop.

It will be a direct purchase of a handful of aircraft.

 

[Blue Marlin]

@Vergennes


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September 05
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@Blue Marlin
If we dont buy F16s then we have to buy something to keep all folks happy in USA for the geo strategic help POV.

On top Boeing has a MRO facility with Air India so basically it minimizes the cost for after sales and support too

true, so chances are the kc-46 would be selected. iaf is not dumb enough to got for the f16 and the f18 is out of the selection as the request is for a single engined fighters.
but the usa needs orders for the f16/f18 as the orderbook is very low whilst the kc-46 is very high. so india may need to do more to please uncle sam.

On a more serious note, not this time. The Russians wanted the 214 to be based on the IL-476's engines, India wanted new engines. Here, the IL-476 has already been developed, so there's nothing left to develop.

It will be a direct purchase of a handful of aircraft.

hehehe jokes on india not russia.
the ps-90 engines are going on both planes. heck the a-50 have ps-90's
india wanted the engine to have fadec control systems which the russain were not happy with as it meant more work, time and money to develop and replace something that works just fine.
so yea hehehehe I'll throw a lol in there too.

 

[Echo_419]

@Vergennes


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September 05
View attachment 342763
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@Blue Marlin
If we dont buy F16s then we have to buy something to keep all folks happy in USA for the geo strategic help POV.

On top Boeing has a MRO facility with Air India so basically it minimizes the cost for after sales and support too

Buy more C-130Js & Chinooks

 

[randomradio]

hehehe jokes on india not russia.
the ps-90 engines are going on both planes. heck the a-50 have ps-90's
india wanted the engine to have fadec control systems which the russain were not happy with as it meant more work, time and money to develop and replace something that works just fine.
so yea hehehehe I'll throw a lol in there too.

India wanted a more advanced engine, not just FADEC, but a brand new engine designed and built from scratch. It's because the PS-90s cannot relight at high altitudes, which is where IAF mostly operates. So the IAF is not happy with these engines. In fact, none of the current generation engines can do what the IAF wanted the IL-214 to do.

Either way, spending money on developing it wouldn't have been fruitful if all we were getting is old gen stuff. The purpose of entering JVs for India is new technologies, the IL-214 does not provide that. So withdrawing from the JV wasn't a loss for us in any way. We will have to look for other sources for tech, like the new JV between Reliance and Antonov.

http://indianexpress.com/article/bu...ce-ties-up-with-three-ukranian-firms-2777102/

 

[#hydra#]

@Vergennes


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September 05
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@Blue Marlin
If we dont buy F16s then we have to buy something to keep all folks happy in USA for the geo strategic help POV.

On top Boeing has a MRO facility with Air India so basically it minimizes the cost for after sales and support too

Uncle Sam got tonnes of orders from Indian armed forces by passing Russians,so y to award tanker contracts to them?it makes them greedy not happy....

 

[anant_s]

Looks like another FMS in the making.
In any case KC 46 is a mighty capable machine and with a lot of US air hardware already in IAF's inventory, could be a very good move to acquire these.

 

[GoodKnight]

@Vergennes

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September 05
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@Blue Marlin
If we dont buy F16s then we have to buy something to keep all folks happy in USA for the geo strategic help POV.

On top Boeing has a MRO facility with Air India so basically it minimizes the cost for after sales and support too

This kind of regressive thinking belongs to the past. (congress govt.)

GoI cannot be blackmailed into buying US support via arms sales. If the US wants to work with us then they have to offer technology, not arms and this will be the consistent stand of the GoI.

The only thing I see the GoI buying from the US is either more P-8I, C17 or Chinook. Maybe the steam catapult for our AC.

Uncle Sam got tonnes of orders from Indian armed forces by passing Russians,so y to award tanker contracts to them?it makes them greedy not happy....

US does not care for these few billion $ in arms sales. Its worth less than peanuts for them.

Its only a few Indians who make a big deal out of this due to their own inflated sense of self worth.

 

[wiseone2]

Buy c-130j transport Aircraft

 

[Ankit Kumar 002]

Well at the first look.

The cost of civilian version of B767 and A330 are almost identical (+/- 15 million USD depending upon variant) and range , A330 seems to have slight edge.

PS:- My observations are based on comparison of Civillian versions.