Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne told reporters that the aircraft would be able to operate from the country’s northern-most Advanced Landing Ground at Daulat Beg Oldie close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
The IAF chief, ACM NAK Browne placed on record his ‘appreciation to the US government, the US Air Force and the Boeing team for the timely delivery of the aircraft that makes the IAF the world’s second-largest operator of the C-17 after the US’.
Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne will take delivery of the second Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, scheduled to be delivered to the IAF on 22 Jul 2013 in a ceremony at Boeing’s Long Beach final assembly facility.
The aircraft took off from the company’s manufacturing plant at Long Beach, California on June 11 and made several stops, including one at Barcelona, before it arrived in India.
StratPost was invited to the annual Airbus Military Trade Media Briefing in Spain last week and, as it turned out, ended up getting a ride on the A400M. Read about the experience and check out all the pictures.
This first aircraft is expected to be handed over to the IAF this summer and Boeing says it’s ‘on track to deliver four more C-17s to the IAF this year and five in 2014’.
StratPost was invited to visited Airbus Military facilities at Getafe in Spain last week to get a sense of the aircraft acquisition under consideration by the IAF, after the A-330 MRTT was announced as the preferred bid in the refueler competition. Here’s a look at what goes into the aircraft.
Boeing is to build Beddown Infrastructure Facilities for the C-17 aircraft ordered by the Indian Air Force (IAF) at Hindon Air Force Station.
Life Cycle Cost was not a consideration in the earlier contest, in which the Airbus A-330 MRTT was selected over the IL-78, before the tender was withdrawn. This time the factor is expected to be a key determinant of the acquisition cost of the two aircraft.
“India is a significant market for Boeing and we are committed to working closely with the defense ministry, armed forces and indigenous industry to meet India’s defense and security needs,” said Dennis Swanson, vice president, International Business Development, Boeing Defense, Space & Security in India.
India is all set to develop the Kargil airfield as a full-fledged transport base by 2016, by when the Indian Air Force (IAF) aims to operate heavy-lift as well combat aircraft planes from there.
The total value of military contracts between India and the US signed between 2004 and 2011 totals INR 37,181 crore (USD 8.2 billion), the Rajya Sabha (Indian Upper House of Parliament) was informed Wednesday.
The Indian defense industry will benefit from an inflow of $30 billion as offsets through military procurements from abroad over the next decade, according to a report submitted to parliament Wednesday.
Boeing will establish a High Altitude Engine Test Facility as well as a Trisonic Wind Tunnel Facility at India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
The Indian Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the country’s final arbiter on defense and security issues, has approved the purchase of ten C-17 Globemaster III heavy lift aircraft.
