Now Reading: IAF floats Rs 1 lakh crore bid for 60 transport aircraft
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IAF floats Rs 1 lakh crore bid for 60 transport aircraft
The defence ministry has floated a Request for Proposal worth nearly Rs 1 lakh crore for 60 Medium Transport Aircraft for the Indian Air Force, The Times of India reports. The deal…
The Story in Brief
The defence ministry has floated a Request for Proposal worth nearly Rs 1 lakh crore for 60 Medium Transport Aircraft for the Indian Air Force, The Times of India reports. The deal is intended to replace the Soviet-era An-32 fleet, with more than 100 aircraft still in service after four decades. The move follows an An-32 crash at Jorhat two months ago that killed five crew members.
The contenders include Airbus’s A400M, Embraer’s C-390M Millennium and Lockheed Martin’s C-130J. Their payloads range from more than 20 tonnes to 37 tonnes, allowing the aircraft to support cargo, troop movement, medical evacuation and operations from difficult airstrips. They could also reduce pressure on the ageing Il-76 fleet.
The Indian Opinion
The deal should not be reduced to a simple choice between replacing old aircraft and chasing costly technology. Claims that one platform alone will solve the IAF’s transport needs ignore the different roles of the An-32, Il-76 and proposed aircraft. Cost, delivery schedules, local support and performance from high-altitude or unprepared airstrips will matter as much as payload. The decisive test will be which bidder can meet the 60-aircraft requirement on time and within the final contract cost.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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