IAF to receive modernised planes from Ukraine

[SpArK]

IAF to receive modernised planes from Ukraine​

The Indian Air Force will receive two modernised An-32 light transport planes built by Ukraine this month under a $600 million deal, the biggest bilateral agreement between the two countries. The planes which were modernised by Ukraine's Antonov state enterprise under the Ukrainian-Indian


contract for repairs will be delivered to India in October, Antonov's President and Director-General Dmitry Kiva was quoted as saying by Russian newsagency Itar-Tass yesterday.

According to Kiva, the planes were modernised under the Ukranian-Indian contract for repairs, modernisation and extension of service life of 105 An-32 planes up to 40 years.

It is the biggest deal in the entire history of the Ukrainian-Indian relations as the sum of the contract signed in June 2009 stands at USD 600 million.

First five An-32 planes were delivered to Kiev in March 2010, followed by five more planes in June.

The first two planes were completely modernised in July, another one in September.

According to Kiva, the market capacity for the new An-32 is estimated at 45 planes.

The Antonov Kiev-based plant plans to manufacture seven An-32 planes till the year 2015, including three in 2010, three in 2011, and one in 2012.

One An-32 planes has already been manufactures, and the other two will be made till the year end, as provided in the production plan.


IAF to receive modernised planes from Ukraine - Hindustan Times

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[SpArK]

 

[Capt.Popeye]

The AN-32 is a an abiding success story of the Indo-Soviet relationship. When the IAF showed disinterest in the AN-26 aircraft citing performance parameters, the Soviets took the Indians on board and redesigned parts of it to create the AN-32. Another thing (even at that time) was the cost; approx INR 1 crore each, and on deferred terms.
AFAIK, this was one deal that MoD and MoF gave carte-blanche to the IAF. Actually, the mandarins told the COAS to increase his wish-list!

 

[MAFIAN GOD]

SO UPTO WHICH YEARS APPROXIMATELY WE ARE GONNA USE THESE PLANES?
EACH PLANE'S LIFESPAN IS INCREASED BY 40 YEARS.SO ARE WE GONNA USE THEM TILL 2050?AT THAT TIME THESE BIRDS WILL BE LIKE WHAT 3RD GEN. FIGHTER PLANES IN THIS 5TH GEN. ERA.
AND THERE IS NO MEANING AND WORTHINESS REMAINS IN DEVELOPING OUR OWN TRANSPORT PLANE BCOZ WE ARE HAVING ENOUGH NO. OF AN-32 ALREADY.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

SO UPTO WHICH YEARS APPROXIMATELY WE ARE GONNA USE THESE PLANES?
EACH PLANE'S LIFESPAN IS INCREASED BY 40 YEARS.SO ARE WE GONNA USE THEM TILL 2050?AT THAT TIME THESE BIRDS WILL BE LIKE WHAT 3RD GEN. FIGHTER PLANES IN THIS 5TH GEN. ERA.
AND THERE IS NO MEANING AND WORTHINESS REMAINS IN DEVELOPING OUR OWN TRANSPORT PLANE BCOZ WE ARE HAVING ENOUGH NO. OF AN-32 ALREADY.

Fighters have generations unlike Transport aircraft. Generations are based on capabilities not on age. BTW, the C-130 Hercules has been flying in the skies since 1956 (the prototype flew in 1954). And the IAF will be inducting it now. These facts speak for themselves, think about them.
Then take it easy.

 

[MAFIAN GOD]

^^^^I UNDERSTAND SIR BUT I WAS JUST GIVING AN EXAMPLE OF FIGHTER GEN.
THANXXX

 

[Luftwaffe]

Increasing the life span does not mean they'll be used for exactly 40 years, they might end up 20 years before a new contract from a new seller is sealed.
The new offers could be from Brazil, Indonesia or US itself.
Take the example of mig-27 extensively going or gone under upgrades but it will end up its life around 2015/17.

 

[Azatavrear]

Normally in aviation industry aircraft that reach their airframe service life can get an extension depending on the level of maintenance involved, manufacturers recommendations, and how well the aircraft was initially designed.

If the airframe has life limited parts on specific components (wing spar, trunions, primary web structures and fittings, corrosion control, etc.) that require major disassembly, inspection, and rework then there is no choice but to repair or approve (after inspection) the components serviceable as good as original condition, or better!
In other words you don’t have the choice of extending it the amount of years that you feel you would use the aircraft (5, 10, 20 years) when you get down to that level of maintenance.

If there is no time limit with major teardown and inspection on the airframes or any life extension recommended by the designers of that aircraft then other methods of "none destructive" inspection methods could extend the airframe life to certain number of years as on going program, which on the bad part increases in operating cost of the aircraft due to higher maintenance per flight hour.

The biggest improvements in this deal I would say would be in the Avionics package delivered with the aircraft. I hope India had good inspectors monitoring all the work done on these aircraft in accordance to standard aviation safety procedures when dealing with other countries out for a profit.