India looks to buy 6 mid-air Refuelers, needs to deploy 18 immediately
India presently has six IL78 aerial re fuelers based in Central Air Command. The immediate need is there to have another six refuelers to be based in West Bengal to support the Eastern Air Command and similarly six in the Southern Air Command to support maritime Air operations.
However against an immediate requirement of additional 12 aircrafts, MoD is eyeing to get only six mid-air refuelers for the Indian Air Force (IAF) from a global supplier. Details of Ministry of Defence’s requirements have been shared with the industry. Mid-air refuelers are specialised planes that can refuel fighter jets and helicopters while flying, saving the time they would otherwise take in landing, refuelling it and taking off again.
In 2022, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited entered inked a memorandum of understanding with Israel Aerospace Industries to convert Airbus civil passenger aircraft into Multi-Mission Tanker Transport aircraft in India.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is actively involved to convert pre-owned civil aircraft into mid-air refuelling aircraft with cargo and transport capabilities. On February 16, the Defence Acquisition Council, the apex decision-making body of the Ministry of Defence, cleared the procurement of such planes.
Meanwhile the IAF will continue with its jugaad for additional refuelling activities by using its SU 30 MKI, in case of urgency.
At present, the Indian Air Force uses the Soviet made IL-78 planes to refuel its fleet. These planes are more than 30 years old. The IAF is now looking at French, European and American options. Though additional IL78s with the latest engines would have been an excellent addition. However the Ukrainian conflict has more or less negated it.
The details shared by the IAF with the industry include the vital fact that deal will be under ‘Buy Global’ category — meaning the refuellers will be sourced from global suppliers. Most of these mid-air refuelers are derivatives of commercial planes produced by Boeing and Airbus.
Boeing’s KC-46 Pegasus mid-air refueler for military planes is modelled on its 767 commercial jet. The Airbus Multi Role Tanker Transport is based on its commercial A 330 series plane. MoD in fact ask the French to assemble around 24 Airbuses in India as refuellers for the IAF.
