Trials over, Boeing awaits IAF decision on $5.8 billion C-17 deal

[sudhir007]

http://www.defenseworld.net/go/defensenews.jsp?catid=3&id=4740&h=%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Trials%20over%20Boeing%20awaits%20IAF%20decision%20$5.8%20billion%20C-17%20deal

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has conducted trials of a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft which had been taken at lease from US Air Force (USAF). The trials were conducted at the Gaggle Airport in northern India some 500 km from New Delhi on 23 June, ahead of the procurement of 10 giant strategic airlift aircraft for an estimated USD 5.8 billion.


The C-17 Globemaster deal is the largest Indo-US deal ever, overtaking the $2.1 billion contract for eight Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft inked last year.

The C-17 has the ability to ferry 70-ton loads to a distance of 2,400 nautical miles and use short, even makeshift, runways at high altitudes.

The aircraft was to undergo technical checks of the fuselage, seating and engines, as also Para-jumping and loading and unloading systems by IAF test pilots.

The C-17 has been flown to Gaggal airport from the IAF transport base at Agra, where the C-17s being acquired to replace the IAF's fleet of a dozen-odd Russian-origin Ilushin Il-76 'Gajraj' transporters will eventually be based.

The negotiations for the aircraft - being acquired via the Foreign Military Sales route - would only begin once US Congress, notified about India's requirement two months ago, approved the sale depending on the configuration the IAF wanted. India is seeking to build its own indigenous defense industry and is doing so by looking to use the best technologies in the defense sector.

 

[flanker143]

10 are not enough , yeh dil maange more ..... !!!

 

[Ishan]

10 are not enough , yeh dil maange more ..... !!!

$$$$$$$$$$ is Limited

 

[Dash]

$$$$$$$$$$ is Limited

20-25 are enough amounting to 5 billion dollars???...

 

[flanker143]

$$$$$$$$$$ is Limited

yeah i know mate....

why didn't india go for more il 76.... atleast they r lot cheaper.....

although not as gud performer as c17 .....

 

[IndianArmy]

yeah i know mate....

why didn't india go for more il 76.... atleast they r lot cheaper.....

although not as gud performer as c17 .....

C-17 is heavy Lift compared Not IL 76.... if You really want to ask then ask Why dint India go for An-124 ?? Thats Wise enough....Heheh , I myself am wondering, But C-17 is Modern, and An 124 is pretty old, but Caliber wise, AN 124 is good...

As AN 124 pay load is 150,000 kg, where as C-17 Globemaster III can only hold 77,519 kg

 

[Ishan]

yeah i know mate....

why didn't india go for more il 76.... atleast they r lot cheaper.....

although not as gud performer as c17 .....

Yeah Bro.. We shud have Buyed 5 C-17s and 5 New An-124 Aircraft Tht wud have been Best Combo

 

[Trisonics]

Troop deployment will now takes hours and not a week!

 

[Ras]

C-17 is heavy Lift compared Not IL 76.... if You really want to ask then ask Why dint India go for An-124 ?? Thats Wise enough....Heheh , I myself am wondering, But C-17 is Modern, and An 124 is pretty old, but Caliber wise, AN 124 is good...

As AN 124 pay load is 150,000 kg, where as C-17 Globemaster III can only hold 77,519 kg

That would be kind of difficult as the An-124 is not in production.

The 10 is only a start...I think India will double the order to at least 20.

 

[Dash]

C-17 is heavy Lift compared Not IL 76.... if You really want to ask then ask Why dint India go for An-124 ?? Thats Wise enough....Heheh , I myself am wondering, But C-17 is Modern, and An 124 is pretty old, but Caliber wise, AN 124 is good...

As AN 124 pay load is 150,000 kg, where as C-17 Globemaster III can only hold 77,519 kg

The An 32s are under upgradation in Ukraine.
And MTA being on the drawing board I think the C17s are just a stop gap check.

But C17 deal is much more than a transport aircraft deal I blieve. I belive that its an indicaion that we are here to counter balance our needs and not eaxcly looking for a cheapr option always.

MTA will be the low end woprk hose for IAF and IA or many years to come.

 

[Dash]

That would be kind of difficult as the An-124 is not in production.

The 10 is only a start...I think India will double the order to at least 20.

There was a report that US govt has asked India to double the numbers to 20, however nothing is clear at this momnt.

Actually 20 will make bettr sense than 10.

 

[Archie]

That would be kind of difficult as the An-124 is not in production.

The 10 is only a start...I think India will double the order to at least 20.

You are right , even i think that the number will go up to something like 25-30 aircraft valued at 15 billion USD , so u can expect a follow on order of 15 aircrafts 2-3 yrs after this order maybe even before the C17Globemasters actually arives in india .
By the way ,the fly away cost of globemaster is 220 million , the rest is the lifecycle cost spread over 30 yrs.

How ever i dont think that India will retire IL76 Any times soon , since it operate around 32 of these aircrafts in different roles , ie Heavy Lift , Tanker and AWAC , AND THE 24 AIRCRAFTS IN HEAVY LIFT ROLE WILL PROBABLY REMAIN IN SERVICE TILL 2025 SINCE THEY ARE ABOUT 20-25 YRS OLD

 

[jha]

An-124 production is going to start with american participation in the program..
So, it will not be a wise decision to buy more C-17s...better to wait for production line to open for An-124 and then place an order for 10 of these Jumbos..

 

[sancho]

C-17 is heavy Lift compared Not IL 76.... if You really want to ask then ask Why dint India go for An-124 ?? Thats Wise enough....Heheh , I myself am wondering, But C-17 is Modern, and An 124 is pretty old, but Caliber wise, AN 124 is good...

As AN 124 pay load is 150,000 kg, where as C-17 Globemaster III can only hold 77,519 kg

That's debatable, I would say C17 and IL 76 are in the heavy class (77t and 50t payload in the latest MD90 version), while the AN 124 is more comparable to the C5 Galaxy (150t payload comared to around 130t payload depending on version).
The biggest advantages of C17 are the short take off an landing capabilities, which makes them much more versatile, especially when strategic airlift of troops, or tanks is the aim.
The problem is that there is no alternative available at the moment, AN 124 is only about to start a new production line and the IL 476 is still not developed yet, which means, Boeing has no reason to cut the price much.
The interesting question to me is, are these meant as an tactical addition to the IL 76 fleet, or as real replacements for them?
The reports about that are pretty different and personally I think, there is no reason for an urgent replacement, IAF is evaluating more IL 78s and A50s, which they wouldn't do if they think it would be a bad aircraft right? But if so, are such high costs for C17 worth it, if the aim is just some more stratigic capabilities?

 

[IndianArmy]

That's debatable, I would say C17 and IL 76 are in the heavy class (77t and 50t payload in the latest MD90 version), while the AN 124 is more comparable to the C5 Galaxy (150t payload comared to around 130t payload depending on version).
The biggest advantages of C17 are the short take off an landing capabilities, which makes them much more versatile, especially when strategic airlift of troops, or tanks is the aim.
The problem is that there is no alternative available at the moment, AN 124 is only about to start a new production line and the IL 476 is still not developed yet, which means, Boeing has no reason to cut the price much.
The interesting question to me is, are these meant as an tactical addition to the IL 76 fleet, or as real replacements for them?
The reports about that are pretty different and personally I think, there is no reason for an urgent replacement, IAF is evaluating more IL 78s and A50s, which they wouldn't do if they think it would be a bad aircraft right? But if so, are such high costs for C17 worth it, if the aim is just some more stratigic capabilities?

If IL 76 and C-17 III are In same class, Why Would India want to replace IL-76 with C-17? Well The Point is, C-17 Is More than A strategic Air lift Aircraft,as it has a Weaponized Platform , So C-17 is Much Preferred. And the rest is left open for debates....Iam Trying to Be as Argumentative as I can