Transport Aircraft of IAF - C-130J, C-17 Globemaster, C295: Updates & Discussions

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C-160 Transall is an old plane and we have C-130J which is more suitable than C-160. What we now in quantity is Strategic lifters like C-17 Globemaster or the likes of it. What should be asked is If it can be possible to shift the line of C-17 to India, we might be having more requirement than mere dozen. BTW would C-17 body be capable enough to have AESA antenna on it to be used as AWACS?

@Bon Plan @Picdelamirand-oil can france shift the production line of Transall C 160 to India now that its production is closed
 
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C-160 Transall is an old plane and we have C-130J which is more suitable than C-160. What we now in quantity is Strategic lifters like C-17 Globemaster or the likes of it. What should be asked is If it can be possible to shift the line of C-17 to India, we might be having more requirement than mere dozen. BTW would C-17 body be capable enough to have AESA antenna on it to be used as AWACS?

It's not financially viable to restart the line AND transfer it. India should be more decisive with their procurements, Boeing was basically begging for orders.

Minimum 50 orders would be needed.
 
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Indian procurement decisions are riddled with policy paralysis, We even have a paralysis when it comes to FMS. for Transport planes and this is one of the reason why we have so many planes of different configuration like a zoo of planes. C-17 is what we needed and IAF was comfortable with the plane and how it able to use them, so I do understand the hesitation on part of GoI to go for more planes.

It's not financially viable to restart the line AND transfer it. India should be more decisive with their procurements, Boeing was basically begging for orders.

Minimum 50 orders would be needed.
 
With last-minute approval, India set to snap up world’s last available C-17 Globemaster

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Boeing C-17 Globemaster III during its induction into Indian Air Force in 2013 in Ghaziabad. Photo by Sakib Ali/Hindustan Times via Getty Images

Two years after special request made to hold aircraft, defence ministry committee clears signing of contract.

New Delhi: India is now set to snap up the world’s last available C-17 heavy transport aircraft after a last-minute approval by the defence ministry last week, two years after a special request was made to Washington to reserve the plane.

A meeting of the defence acquisition committee (DAC) headed by minister Nirmala Sitharaman cleared the procurement that will take the total number of the transport aircraft in the Indian Air Force to 11.

US manufacturer Boeing has shut down the production line after producing 279 aircraft and the last C-17 Globemaster had more than one global contender given its unique role as a large airlifter optimised for special operations, humanitarian assistance missions and carrying troops over large distances.

The lone aircraft is likely to cost India over Rs 2,700 crore and could arrive within a few months after the formal signing of the contract. The plane is being bought under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or direct government purchase route from Washington.

With the clearance, the defence ministry will now send a formal ‘letter of acceptance’ (LOA) to confirm the sale.

As reported by ThePrint, India had lobbied hard to get the last plane since 2015 but bureaucratic red tape had created the possibility of the aircraft being taken up by another buyer. Sources said that the aircraft – which has been produced and kept mothballed – will be prepped up and will go through a set of tests before being delivered.

In 2015, the Air Force had cleared a proposal to buy three of the heavy lifters at a cost of Rs 8,100 crore but as procurement process dragged on, its manufacturer Boeing ran out of aircraft to sell as the C-17 production line was shut down.

In 2011, India had bought 10 aircraft for $4.7 billion. The contract also had a follow-on option clause to procure six more aircraft. However, with limited resources available, the Air Force had asked for an additional three, impressed by its operational abilities.
 
Indian Air Force Fleet Achieves 12,000 Hours, Commended for Outstanding Performance

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Boeing congratulates the Indian Air Force and 81st “Skylords” Squadron for the C-17 Globemaster III fleet achieving 12,000 flight hours since induction in 2014.

The C-17 fleet is a vital part of the Indian Air Force strategic airlift capability, which has successfully conducted relief and humanitarian missions domestically and internationally.

The Indian Air Force operates 10 C-17 strategic airlifters that Boeing delivered in 2014. Boeing works with the Indian Air Force to provide sustainment services and modernization of its C-17s that contribute to high mission capable rates.

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what will the Americans replace these with in the future?

The US Military operates well over 200 of these right now, and they are relatively new aircraft. I'm guessing there won't be any plans on replacing these for a few decades at least. It is a shame they discontinued this plane, it was very versatile.
 
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what will the Americans replace these with in the future?

As @Ginvincible said - they will serve for at least 30 years from now. Even more probably. Not much changes in transport aircraft as long as they can haul a big enough load from here to there. C-17s the world over will undergo certain electronics-related upgrades (maybe even an engine change over to a new type) over the course of their lives. But a replacement aircraft is unlikely to emerge for a VERY LONG TIME.

Heck - forget the C-17, a replacement for the much older C-5 is nowhere on the horizon!

What are likely to emerge though (as far as USAF transports go) are further improved variants of C-130J, and certain specialized transports for Special Forces use - with an emphasis on reduced radar & infrared signatures (and improved STOL capability) to assist in large scale para-drops of troops in a hostile territory from altitude.

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^^ Speed Agile concept

EDIT: Also, I foresee a requirement to emerge regarding the capability to vertically lift heavy cargo (much more than what a V-22 can manage), sometime in the 2020s.
 
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As @Ginvincible said - they will serve for at least 30 years from now. Even more probably. Not much changes in transport aircraft as long as they can haul a big enough load from here to there. C-17s the world over will undergo certain electronics-related upgrades (maybe even an engine change over to a new type) over the course of their lives. But a replacement aircraft is unlikely to emerge for a VERY LONG TIME.

Heck - forget the C-17, a replacement for the much older C-5 is nowhere on the horizon!

What are likely to emerge though (as far as USAF transports go) are further improved variants of C-130J, and certain specialized transports for Special Forces use - with an emphasis on reduced radar & infrared signatures (and improved STOL capability) to assist in large scale para-drops of troops in a hostile territory from altitude.

110715-F-UU070-014.JPG

1311476146460593071.jpg

^^ Speed Agile concept

EDIT: Also, I foresee a requirement to emerge regarding the capability to vertically lift heavy cargo (much more than what a V-22 can manage), sometime in the 2020s.

Absolutely, and you are spot on with the C-5 analogy. For special forces and other lift purposes, I wouldn't be surprised if they began pursuing remotely piloted transports à la MQ-25 which was recently unveiled. It would be interesting to see stealth drone transports tactially inserting UCGVs behind enemy lines.
 
Russian design :


I had forgotten about that project. It's insanely ambitious and I would be shocked if they got anything close to their specifications flying by 2024 or even 2030. I would love to see them seriously invest in hybrid-electric airplanes though. Getting a state actor to pursue this technology seriously would be amazing for the industry.

Also, on the topic, while a stealthy drone transport would be cool, it would probably also be prohibitively expensive. Getting something that size to be VLO or LO alone would be tough, not to mention all the other challenges they would have to work around - pressurized cargo space, life support weight, etc.
 
Indian Air Force C-130J transits through Grand Forks AFB

Grand Forks Airmen and service members with the Indian Air Force work together to tow a C-130 Hercules into a hangar Jan. 13, 2018, on Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.

The Indian service members transited through Grand Forks AFB and received routine maintenance before heading to McChord AFB, Wash. for exercise Vajra Prahar.

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Indian C-130 Hercules transits through Grand Forks AFB
 
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Inching closer towards finalising the defence deal for 56 transport aircraft to replace the Avro plane fleet, the commercial bids for the programme is expected to be worth over Rs 15,000 crore are going to be opened in the near future.
The programme is the first major 'Make in India' programme in defence sector under which 56 Airbus C-295 transport aircraft are to be produced indigenously in partnership with the Tata group.
Of the 56 planes, 16 would be bought off the shelf from Europe, while the remaining would be acquired from the Tata facilities in India.
"The commercial bids submitted by the joint venture would be opened shortly for the programme after which, if required, there will be negotiations over price and other formalities".
The Avro replacement programme became important for the service after the closure of a similar plan to develop multirole transport aircraft with the Russians. The field trials of the aircraft have already been completed at various locations across the country, and the plane has met the Air Force's requirements, the sources said.
Though the Avro replacement programme was envisaged by the Air Force under the UPA government, it made real progress in 2015 after the NDA government studied its requirement for the services. It was accorded the final nod by the Defence Acquisition Council in May 2015.
In May 2013, the ministry had issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to original equipment manufacturers, including US firms Boeing and Lockheed Martin, European multinational Airbus Defence and Space and Antonov of Ukraine, among others. They were required to tie-up with an Indian private firm.
However, only Airbus and TATA responded to the RFP. The DAC had approved the Air Force's proposal to go ahead with the single-vendor proposal. Generally, the Defence ministry avoids going for single vendor tender to avoid monopoly and keep away the charges of favouritism.
The programme has attracted many other services also as the Coast Guard has already selected it for its maritime reconnaissance programme under which the DRDO will develop six such planes for the force. The Navy is also likely to come up with a similar programme where it would want to develop an anti-submarine warfare and surveillance platform using the indigenously produced C-295s.
The aircraft is also being offered to the other agencies, including the central police forces and the National Disaster management Authority, who need fixed wing planes for rapid deployment of troops and in times of natural calamities.
"Increase in the requirement of planes by the other agencies will help us in reducing the cost of the planes," the sources said. Sources said with the increasing demand for fixed wing planes, it was expected that the requirement for the planes would be close to 80 such planes.
 
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