IAF to now have midair refueling capacity in all Air assets

[arp2041]

In a major step to increase its range and operational capabilities, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided tbat all its aircraft and helicopters will have the capability for midair refueling.

Disclosing this, the IAF vice chief, Air Marshal D.C. Kumaria, said at the Fifth National Seminar on Aerospace Technologies (N-SAT) recently that the decision applies to all its current and future acquisitions – whether combat jets, transport aircraft, helicopters or other assets.

Only aircraft with this capability will be considered for acquisition in future, he observed adding that technology and strategic requirements have evolved over time and that the IAF decision is in line with the current thinking in military aviation worldwide.

The N-SAT series on military aviation is held by India Strategic defence magazine annually. It lays emphasis on a building technological edge for the Indian armed forces, and significantly, most participants agreed that if an air force was not thinking of 20 years hence, they it is already behind the times.

In the late 1970s for instance, Air Marshal Kumaria pointed out, the IAF actually sought removal of aerial refueling plumbing from the Anglo-French Jaguar aircraft even though they were meant for a deep penetration strike role. Today, whether it is the long-range aircraft or helicopters, aerial refueling capability is a key requirement.

It may be noted that IAF’s current acquisition line includes Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, Boeing C-17 Globemaster, Embraer 145 for electronic radars, Agusta Westland’s VIP role AW 101 helicopters, new AWACS and midair refuelers (Airbus Military MRTT or Russian IL 78) , Rafale fighter jets, and Boeing’s Chinook and Apache helicopters.

The last four items are under various stages of procurement.

The existing Mirage 2000s, Sukhoi Su-30 MKIs and Jaguars already have this capability while on the Mig 29s, its plumbing will be activated during upgrades for midair refueling.

According to defence analyst Air Marshal (retd) Ashok Goel, the inflight refueling capability is standard worldwide now and it would, in fact. cost more to remove it than to have it while acquiring and inducting new aircraft.

All NATO and US aerial assets, for instance, are equipped with midair or in-flight refueling capability and in the Gulf and Afghanistan operations, aircraft were able to conduct multi-mission strikes during single flights.

“This in-flight refueling capability,” Air Marshal Goel told India Strategic, “literally has far-reaching implications, enabling modern aircraft to cover long distances 360 degrees.”

Thanks to the IAF’s Il-78 midair refuelers, its Su-30 combat aircraft have gone up to the US in 2008 to take part in the multi-national Red Flag exercise, and will again do so in 2013, he said.

It may be noted that midair refueling capability will also be on board army and navy combat assets as the Chief of Staff Committee already has a tri-Service agreement on common parameters for same and similar systems needed by them.

The committee is currently headed by the IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne, and he is on record as having said that there are no differences between the three Services on acquiring common systems with same or similar requirements.

Army sources also told India Strategic that it will follow IAF’s Air Staff Qualitative Requirements (ASQRs) while going in for the Apache combat helicopters.

IAF to now have midair refueling capacity in all Air assets | idrw.org

 

[INDIAISM]

That means the list also includes LCA Mk1,LCH,Hal Dhruv Mk4,LOH and MRTA....

 

[IND151]

^^ off coarse

On Topic > a good decsion

 

[arp2041]

Around 1000 of planes (fighters, transport ac, helicopters) & just 6 midair refuelers. IAF should increase there nos. to 20 asap.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Whilst I like this decision the bit on helos is confusing. Is this accurate? Does the IAF really mean every helo purchased hence forth will have AAR capability?!! And I can understand the bit on the navy as the P-8I, Mig-29K etc will come with AAR capability but the part about the IA having AAR capability is odd- which a/c they have or will have will come with AAR capabiltiy? Interesting times.
@sancho can you clarify?!!

 

[Gessler]

Around 1000 of planes (fighters, transport ac, helicopters) & just 6 midair refuelers. IAF should increase there nos. to 20 asap.

6 IL78s + 6 A330s total 12 refuellers confirmed as of now. Ofcourse there will be follown-on orders
for A330 MRTT as well.

I hope India & Russia decide to make an IFR variant of the IL-214/MTA jet transport.

 

[Gessler]

Whilst I like this decision the bit on helos is confusing. Is this accurate? Does the IAF really mean every helo purchased hence forth will have AAR capability?!! And I can understand the bit on the navy as the P-8I, Mig-29K etc will come with AAR capability but the part about the IA having AAR capability is odd- which a/c they have or will have will come with AAR capabiltiy? Interesting times.
@sancho can you clarify?!!

I suggest we use KC-130J for AAR for helos. IAF is already familiar with C130 family of ac so I guess
it will help - infrastructure acquisition would also be smoother and take less time to get used to...

...rather than A400M for helo-refuelling role.



^^KC-130 refuelling two CH53Gs carrying 2 x hummers each over Gulf of Aden (photo from Wikipedia)

 

[sancho]

That means the list also includes LCA Mk1,LCH,Hal Dhruv Mk4,LOH and MRTA....

No and I would doubt that they really said ALL aircrafts will have this capability (idrw.org), especially by the fact that we have no tanker to refuel helicopters, nor are we considering one so far.
LCA will get it with MK2 version, LCH, Dhruv, LOH don't need such a requirement and integrating it to all MRTA is just a waste of money, since you don't use them to strategic ranges, or dedicated tactical roles, like the C130Js for special ops for example.

And I can understand the bit on the navy as the P-8I, Mig-29K etc will come with AAR capability but the part about the IA having AAR capability is odd- which a/c they have or will have will come with AAR capabiltiy? Interesting times.
@sancho can you clarify?!!

As I said above, I have some doubts about this, since the source ais often reporting nonsense. IA has no aircrafts that requires such a capability, except if the Apaches comes with it, but even if, there is no need to refuel them in air, since we don't use to in long range or endurance missions.
The only aircraft in IN, that would need shore based IFR capability, are the MPAs and they will be refuelled by IAF for sure.

I suggest we use KC-130J for AAR for helos. IAF is already familiar with C130 family of ac so I guess
it will help - infrastructure acquisition would also be smoother and take less time to get used to...

...rather than A400M for helo-refuelling role.

The A400 is the much better choice, since it can carry more fuel and more payload in the transport role too. It would be the perfect addition as an MRTT, next to the A330 MRTT.

 

[arp2041]

@gessler do we need separate tanker ac for helo refuelling?? can't Il 76/Airbus 330 do the job??

@sancho this is not idrw article but trusted India Strategic magazine's, here is the link:

..:: India Strategic ::. IAF: IAF decides for midair refueling capability on all aircraft

 

[Gessler]

@sancho

But bro, we already have exp. of operating C130-type ac, so its cheaper and less time-consuming to procure the KC130J rather than whole-new A400M.

I agree A400M can carry more fuel/payload and can act in the transport role too but look at the exorbitant cost, each A400M costs 136 million euro ($175 million) according to Wikipedia -
KC130J doesn't cost so much and we can locally manufacture many parts of the plane to further bring down the cost - TASL already makes C130J-30 components.

Plus we need to develop whole new infratsructure and training for A400M, for KC130J we can use many of the things learnt in C130J operation/maintenance.

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

Around 1000 of planes (fighters, transport ac, helicopters) & just 6 midair refuelers. IAF should increase there nos. to 20 asap.

Havent airbus won the other air refueling tankers competition?

 

[arp2041]

Havent airbus won the other air refueling tankers competition?

I was talking about the nos. as of now, they are not good, all six A330 will take atleast 4-5 years to get inducted.

 

[Abingdonboy]

@sancho can Apaches IFR?

 

[Abingdonboy]

But yes I do have reasons to doubt this news as it is usually only specialised a/c (other than fighters who have IFR as standard fight these days) that have AAR capability such as AWACS, Spec-ops transports etc and this goes doubly for rotary wing a/c. Not even the US has all of its a/c fitted out for IFR. The only helos that need AAR capability are ones that have specialised roles like Spec op support such as the CV-22 or HH-60G etc. it simply is not needed.

And surely either way the IAF needs to dramatically scale up its AAR fleet? 12 simply isn't enough for the hundreds of AAR capable a/c in use in India.

 

[Gessler]

But yes I do have reasons to doubt this news as it is usually only specialised a/c (other than fighters who have IFR as standard fight these days) that have AAR capability such as AWACS, Spec-ops transports etc and this goes doubly for rotary wing a/c. Not even the US has all of its a/c fitted out for IFR. The only helos that need AAR capability are ones that have specialised roles like Spec op support such as the CV-22 or HH-60G etc. it simply is not needed.

And surely either way the IAF needs to dramatically scale up its AAR fleet? 12 simply isn't enough for the hundreds of AAR capable a/c in use in India.

There will be follow-on orders for A330 MRTT dont worry.