IAF staring at midair refuelling crisis, says CAG report
A decade ago, the IAF identified 10 airfields for mid-air refuelling where infrastructure was to be created, including extended runways, to fully exploit the platform
INDIA Updated: Aug 20, 2017 00:06 IST
Rahul Singh
Hindustan Times, New Delhi
An Indian Air Force aircraft demonstrates mid-air refueling capability. The CAG found that there aren’t enough hangars for the refuellers, tanking them up on the ground is a problem and dedicated refuelling corridors are missing.(PTI)
The Indian Air Force appears to be facing a mid-air refuelling crisis and its plans to induct modern tankers to expand the strategic reach of its fighters haven’t yet taken off.
The IAF’s runways are too short for its Ilyushin-78 tanker fleet, their refuelling pods are dogged by failures and the airworthiness is questionable, a comprehensive audit of the Russian-origin fleet has revealed.
In a scathing report, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) also found that there aren’t enough hangars for the refuellers, tanking them up on the ground is a problem and dedicated refuelling corridors are missing. The IAF operates six IL-78 planes bought in 2003-04 at Rs 132 crore a piece. The IAF is yet to float a new tender for six mid-air refuellers costing upwards of $2 billion.
An IL-78 requires a runway length of 11,480 feet to 15,022 feet to carry full fuel loads. A decade ago, the IAF identified 10 airfields for mid-air refuelling where infrastructure was to be created, including extended runways, to fully exploit the platform.
“The runway length at these 10 airfields was below 10,000 feet. It was observed that only runway…was extended partially up to 10,500 feet,” said the report tabled in Parliament in July-end.
The defence ministry responded saying the aircraft would go into overhaul in 2018-19, with upgraded engines allowing them to take off from shorter runways. The report said the serviceability of aerial refuelling pods – hoses used to transfer fuel – was poor due to frequent failures, inadequate repair facilities and poor maintenance support from the manufacturer, adversely impacting operations.
The desired serviceability of the IL-78 fleet should be 70% by IAF’s own standards. But it stood at 49% during 2010-16. Simply put, barely half of the planes were available for missions at any given time.
The IAF has constructed only one hangar for the six refuellers. “Due to non-availability of hangars, the costly air assets remained in the open which adversely affected their life.” The IAF’s IL-76 heavy-lift planes are also plagued by hangar woes, poor serviceability and delayed repairs and servicing.
The IAF doesn’t have enough hydrant refueling systems to tank up the refuellers swiftly and efficiently on the ground. The HRS facility or underground tanks was available only in two out of the 10 airbases identified for IL-78 operations in 2007, the report found. It added the IAF has not obtained approval for creating 12 dedicated corridors for midair refuelling so that commercial traffic is not disrupted.
The IAF needs more tankers to stay prepared to counter China in the eastern sector. The government is expected to float a new tender which will be the third one in the last 10 years, with the previous two failing to end up as contracts due to price complications.
IAF staring at midair refuelling crisis, says CAG report
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IAF to float tender for midair refuellers again after two failed attempts
The Indian Air Force will soon float a tender for at least six midair refuellers that could cost upwards of $2 billion, an air marshal familiar with the development said.
INDIA Updated: Feb 25, 2017 16:12 IST
Rahul Singh
Hindustan Times, New Delhi
An Indian Air Force Ilyushin Il-78 refuelling a mid-air flight.(File Photo)
India is set to launch a fresh hunt for midair refuellers to expand strategic reach of its air force after two failed attempts to induct new tankers.
The Indian Air Force will soon float a tender for at least six midair refuellers that could cost upwards of $2 billion, an air marshal familiar with the development said.
HIGHLIGHTS
This will be the third tender for tankers in the last 10 years, with the previous two failing to end up as contracts due to price complications. Ilyushin’s Il-78 and Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) offered by European aerospace corporation EADS competed for the previous tenders. The scope of the competition will be bigger this time.
A four-cornered contest is in the offing with American, Russian, European and Israeli military contractors eyeing the lucrative deal.
“We look forward to taking part in the competition with our KC-46A multi-role tanker and have had various levels of discussions with the IAF. We are following it closely,” said Robert D Schoeffling, senior manager (global sales and marketing), Boeing Military Aircraft.
The US Air Force awarded Boeing a $2.1-billion order for 15 KC-46A tanker aircraft, spare engines and wing air refueling pod kits in January, following a previous order for 19 planes last August. The KC-46A is a Boeing 767-based refueling aircraft. Boeing will build 179 KC-46 tankers for the USAF by 2027.
Israel will also be a new entrant to the competition. Israel Aerospace Industries' Bedek Aviation Group has firmed up plans to take part in the contest with its Boeing 767-200 multi-mission tanker transport (MMTT).
Bedek’s marketing and business development manager Sharon Katzir said the Israeli firm was in talks with the IAF and would compete for the order.
A decade ago, the IAF identified 10 airfields for mid-air refuelling where infrastructure was to be created, including extended runways, to fully exploit the platform
INDIA Updated: Aug 20, 2017 00:06 IST
Rahul Singh
Hindustan Times, New Delhi
An Indian Air Force aircraft demonstrates mid-air refueling capability. The CAG found that there aren’t enough hangars for the refuellers, tanking them up on the ground is a problem and dedicated refuelling corridors are missing.(PTI)
The Indian Air Force appears to be facing a mid-air refuelling crisis and its plans to induct modern tankers to expand the strategic reach of its fighters haven’t yet taken off.
The IAF’s runways are too short for its Ilyushin-78 tanker fleet, their refuelling pods are dogged by failures and the airworthiness is questionable, a comprehensive audit of the Russian-origin fleet has revealed.
In a scathing report, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) also found that there aren’t enough hangars for the refuellers, tanking them up on the ground is a problem and dedicated refuelling corridors are missing. The IAF operates six IL-78 planes bought in 2003-04 at Rs 132 crore a piece. The IAF is yet to float a new tender for six mid-air refuellers costing upwards of $2 billion.
An IL-78 requires a runway length of 11,480 feet to 15,022 feet to carry full fuel loads. A decade ago, the IAF identified 10 airfields for mid-air refuelling where infrastructure was to be created, including extended runways, to fully exploit the platform.
“The runway length at these 10 airfields was below 10,000 feet. It was observed that only runway…was extended partially up to 10,500 feet,” said the report tabled in Parliament in July-end.
The defence ministry responded saying the aircraft would go into overhaul in 2018-19, with upgraded engines allowing them to take off from shorter runways. The report said the serviceability of aerial refuelling pods – hoses used to transfer fuel – was poor due to frequent failures, inadequate repair facilities and poor maintenance support from the manufacturer, adversely impacting operations.
The desired serviceability of the IL-78 fleet should be 70% by IAF’s own standards. But it stood at 49% during 2010-16. Simply put, barely half of the planes were available for missions at any given time.
The IAF has constructed only one hangar for the six refuellers. “Due to non-availability of hangars, the costly air assets remained in the open which adversely affected their life.” The IAF’s IL-76 heavy-lift planes are also plagued by hangar woes, poor serviceability and delayed repairs and servicing.
The IAF doesn’t have enough hydrant refueling systems to tank up the refuellers swiftly and efficiently on the ground. The HRS facility or underground tanks was available only in two out of the 10 airbases identified for IL-78 operations in 2007, the report found. It added the IAF has not obtained approval for creating 12 dedicated corridors for midair refuelling so that commercial traffic is not disrupted.
The IAF needs more tankers to stay prepared to counter China in the eastern sector. The government is expected to float a new tender which will be the third one in the last 10 years, with the previous two failing to end up as contracts due to price complications.
IAF staring at midair refuelling crisis, says CAG report
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IAF to float tender for midair refuellers again after two failed attempts
The Indian Air Force will soon float a tender for at least six midair refuellers that could cost upwards of $2 billion, an air marshal familiar with the development said.
INDIA Updated: Feb 25, 2017 16:12 IST
Rahul Singh
Hindustan Times, New Delhi
An Indian Air Force Ilyushin Il-78 refuelling a mid-air flight.(File Photo)
India is set to launch a fresh hunt for midair refuellers to expand strategic reach of its air force after two failed attempts to induct new tankers.
The Indian Air Force will soon float a tender for at least six midair refuellers that could cost upwards of $2 billion, an air marshal familiar with the development said.
HIGHLIGHTS
- IAF needs to acquire midair refuellers for induction of new tankers into the force.
- The tender for at least six new midair refuellers could cost around $2 billion.
- This will be the third tender for tankers in the last 10 years, the previous attempts failed due to price complications.
- American, Russian, European and Israeli military contractors are eyeing to bid for the lucrative deal.
This will be the third tender for tankers in the last 10 years, with the previous two failing to end up as contracts due to price complications. Ilyushin’s Il-78 and Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) offered by European aerospace corporation EADS competed for the previous tenders. The scope of the competition will be bigger this time.
A four-cornered contest is in the offing with American, Russian, European and Israeli military contractors eyeing the lucrative deal.
“We look forward to taking part in the competition with our KC-46A multi-role tanker and have had various levels of discussions with the IAF. We are following it closely,” said Robert D Schoeffling, senior manager (global sales and marketing), Boeing Military Aircraft.
The US Air Force awarded Boeing a $2.1-billion order for 15 KC-46A tanker aircraft, spare engines and wing air refueling pod kits in January, following a previous order for 19 planes last August. The KC-46A is a Boeing 767-based refueling aircraft. Boeing will build 179 KC-46 tankers for the USAF by 2027.
Israel will also be a new entrant to the competition. Israel Aerospace Industries' Bedek Aviation Group has firmed up plans to take part in the contest with its Boeing 767-200 multi-mission tanker transport (MMTT).
Bedek’s marketing and business development manager Sharon Katzir said the Israeli firm was in talks with the IAF and would compete for the order.
