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The Indian Ministry of Defence has released a new request for information (RFI) for the acquisition of six new in-flight refuelling aircraft. Although the Indian Defence Ministry did not reveal the requirements or procurement schedule, it confirmed that a new RFI has been issued for vendors.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been in dire need of a new fleet of mid-air refueling aircraft. Last year, the Ministry of Defence cancelled an ongoing contract for the mid-air refueling aircraft. The contract was stalled in September last year after the Finance Ministry questioned the need to purchase a new fleet of tankers other than the Ilyushin IL 78s already in service. The Finance Ministry also raised objections to the high price of the European Airbus 330 MRTT aircraft which was selected.
As for the IAF, it has a fleet of Ilyushin Il-78MKI tankers and was expecting an improved version through the previous proposal for up to six new aircraft. IAF has clearly communicated to the Indian Defence Ministry that it needs an improved version of the refuelling aircraft.
The cancellation of the earlier contract was a setback to the IAF as well as the European giant EADS. The IAF will now have to wait for another five years for the new fleet of mid-air refueling aircraft. As for EADS, losing the estimated $2 billion deal to supply six refueling aircraft for the IAF is a serious blow. Earlier, it suffered a similar setback after the army light helicopter deal, in which the consortium’s Eurocopter was the frontrunner, was cancelled in 2007 due to an unfair selection procedure.
As for the new RFI for the mid-air refueling aircraft, it has been sent to various global players like Boeing and EADS. EADS subsidiary Airbus Military had earlier also supplied information on its Airbus A330-based multirole tanker transport and now will be back in the fray. As for the US Boeing, it has the KC-767 tanker/transport based on its commercial 767 platform. Boeing is also contemplating the development of a variant of its larger 777 design.
The IAF plans to give a trans-Oceanic reach to its fleet with the midair refuelers. All major aircraft with the Indian Air Force including the Sukhoi, Mirage, MiG-27, MiG- 21, MiG-29 and Jaguar are to be fitted for midair refueling. IAF officials said flight refueling tankers are the key to extending the reach of long-range transport and fighter jets by making them fly longer distances. For instance, the reach of fighters such as SU-30 and Mirage-2000 will expand dramatically if they are refueled in mid-air.
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