India approves C-17 purchase

[T90TankGuy]

i believe 24 is more then adequate to take care of our heavy lift needs

 

[Kinetic]

Strategic airlifting capability is very very important in modern warfare. C-17, C-130J and IRTA are the future of IAF's airlifting capability. Though C-17s are costly they have capabilities that no other aircraft can cover and good track record. It should be able to carry single Arjun.

 

[Nirvana]

I Think 25 C - 17 Are Enough , To replace Il-76 And We Have C -130 's too ,
MRTA [Hal , Irkut ] should Be Ordered In large No , Already They Have Predicted a Order of 40 for Air Force , And 24 for Army Aviation.

 

[DacterSaab]

along with 1 Billion Usd deal for 22 attack helicopters and 700 Million USD deal for 12 Heavy lift helicopters

i don't care which attack helicopter india buys but india should definately go for the russian heavy lift helicopter. It offers higher strategic lift capabilities also the russians have always been ahead of US in helicopter technology

 

[tvsram1992]

Wow, the preperations seem like India is getting ready to counter any kind of threat.

 

[sudhir007]

for me best part is this

Reliable sources, however, say the IAF could opt for eight more aircraft, in which case the deal for the C-17s could touch about $10 billion or so. A key advantage of the offsets under this programme is assistance by Boeing to set up an approximately $500 million engine-testing wind tunnel for jet engines with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The air chief said that this project should go a long way in helping Indian scientists develop jet engines.

The indigenous capability in India for aircraft engines at the moment is vastly inadequate as it is difficult to master the engine core technology. Despite the acquisition of a very large number of aircraft from the Soviet Union/Russia and France, nobody has shared this expertise despite various collaborative programmes.

Even to test the Kaveri engine for the light combat aircraft (LCA) for instance, facilities in Russia have recently been used. Notably, although Boeing is the largest manufacturer of civil and military aircraft in the world, it uses engines built by the GE and Pratt & Whitney. But Boeing has the talent and expertise to integrate, and help develop, the best of the aerospace technologies thanks also to its involvement in US space programme, particularly the space shuttles.

 

[SpArK]

Pratt & Whitney: Press Releases: India To Acquire C-17s Exclusively Powered By Pratt & Whitney F117 Engines

 

[jha]

Pratt & Whitney: Press Releases: India To Acquire C-17s Exclusively Powered By Pratt & Whitney F117 Engines

Yes.. Frontier India also reporting that 45 F-117 engines are being bought..40 for 10 planes and 5 spare...

 

[RPK]

India To Acquire C-17s Exclusively Powered By Pratt & Whitney F117 Engines

India To Acquire C-17s Exclusively Powered By Pratt & Whitney F117 Engines | Gamut News
June 20, 2011 | Filed under: Press Releases | Posted by: Gamut News Staff
inShare

PARIS, June 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — PARIS AIR SHOW — Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), today announced that India’s Ministry of Defence has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the U.S. government to acquire 10 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlifters exclusively powered by four Pratt & Whitney F117 engines. According to the agreement, India will take delivery of its C-17s in 2013 and 2014.

“We are delighted that the Indian Air Force has selected the C-17 with Pratt & Whitney F117 engines to support its airlift mission,” said Bev Deachin, vice president, Military Programs and Customer Support, Pratt & Whitney. ”This is a special partnership with the Indian government and with Boeing. We look forward to helping strengthen India’s aerospace capabilities and humanitarian efforts.”

With this agreement, the Indian Air Force will have the second largest C-17 fleet in the world. Pratt & Whitney’s F117 team will support India’s C-17s through the C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership, a Performance-Based Logistics partnership between the U.S. Air Force, Boeing and Pratt & Whitney.

Four F117s provide exclusive power for the C-17 Globemaster III — the world’s premier heavy airlifter. The F117-PW-100 is a derivative of Pratt & Whitney’s PW2037 commercial engine powering the Boeing 757. With more than 7 million hours of proven military service and 40 million hours in commercial use, the F117/PW2037 has consistently proven itself as a world-class dependable engine. Pratt & Whitney’s ongoing investment in product improvements has enabled the engine to continuously surpass established goals for time on wing, in-flight shut downs and support turnaround time.

“We are proud to include the Indian Air Force as a customer for the products, services and support that Pratt & Whitney provides,” Deachin said. ”This milestone is yet another testament to the superb dependability, reliability and performance of the C-17 and Pratt & Whitney’s F117 engine, and our dedication to our customers’ airlift mission.”

Boeing has delivered 232 C-17s featuring F117 engines worldwide, including 22 with international customers. The U.S. Air Force – including active National Guard and Reserve units – has taken delivery of 210 C-17s. Other customers include the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force, the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the Canadian Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations, and the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries. Please visit Powering the Future | United Technlogies at the Paris Air Show for news from Pratt & Whitney and United Technologies at the Paris Air Show 2011.

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in the Globemaster III funding related to the C-17 aircraft and F117 engines, changes in government procurement priorities and practices or in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production and support of technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corporation’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Shawn Watson
Pratt & Whitney Military Engines
Int’l Mobile: +1 860-371-5236
Shawn.watson2@pw.utc.com

SOURCE Pratt & Whitney

 

[shrivatsa]

engines are bought separately,i thought it comes in one package or are these extra engines.

 

[Mo12]

India is buying (and paying) to many for a plane that just carrys stuff and gives fuel to fighter jets.

 

[Zabaniyah]

India is buying (and paying) to many for a plane that just carrys stuff and gives fuel to fighter jets.

Logistics are important

 

[kingdurgaking]

engines are bought separately,i thought it comes in one package or are these extra engines.

Engine is bought separetly .. 40 engines + 5 spare...

 

[sancho]

Strategic airlifting capability is very very important in modern warfare. C-17, C-130J and IRTA are the future of IAF's airlifting capability. Though C-17s are costly they have capabilities that no other aircraft can cover and good track record. It should be able to carry single Arjun.

It is i, but how important is it for India? Strategic airlift means transporting troops, vehicles and cargo to long distances to project your power. That is what the US does with the C17, but even more importantly with the C5 and even with leased AN 124s (same for the European NATO countries)!
India on the other hand don't has this requirement, because our aim is not projecting the power to great distances, but around of India and alongside our borders. Not to mention that the IL 76 fleet were very good for the long distance missions, be it for the UN, transporting cargo to foreign exercises, or in humanitarian:

Indian aid for hurricane Katrina victims delivered

Washington, DC
September 17, 2005

An Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft delivered 25 tonnes of relief supplies for the Hurricane Katrina victims at the Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas on September 13, 2005. The relief supplies comprised 3000 blankets, bed sheets, tarpaulins and personal hygiene items. Brig General Kip Self, Station Commander of the Air Force Base, received the IAF’s IL-76 aircraft.

IAF’s IL-76 took off from Palam airport on September 10, 2005 and reached USA via Muscat, Cairo, Lisbon, Lajes and Boston. The aircraft returned to India on September 17, 2005 following the same route as inbound.

The Indian Ambassador in Washington earlier presented a cheque of US Dollars 5 million to the U.S. Red Cross on September 8, 2005 as aid to Katrina victims on behalf of the Indian government.

Indian aid for hurricane Katrina victims delivered - Print

27 May 2008 - IAF's largest ever airlift across the border relief missions to Myanmar and China

The Indian Air Force is presently carrying out the largest ever across the border disaster relief mission to Myanmar and China having conveyed over 277 tonnes of relief material in the aftermath of cyclone and severe earthquake respectively. Another IL-76 of IAF would be ferrying 28 tones to Chengdu in China tomorrow.

IAF's largest ever airlift across the border relief missions to Myanmar and China | ReliefWeb


So it's not like we need to transport 77t payload to the other side of the world every day!
The main advantages of the C17 over the older IL 76 imo are not the payload difference on paper (the latest IL 76 carries up to 60t), but the wider cargo hold that allowed to carry bigger vehicles, the better short take off and landing capabilities, the lower operational costs (engines, spares, half the crew...), or the latest avionics.
IF IAF really would have an issue with the reliability of the aircraft, they wouldn't buy more A50s as the platform for the Phalcon AWACS, because that is one of their most important assets and they wouldn't take any risk on that!
However, these advantages are reasonable to some extend, but mainly in comparison with Russian aircafts, but compared to the A400, or Kawasaki XC-2, they didn't because these aircrafts has the same capabilities and advantages, they are even meant for the same role!
Except of carrying an dedicated MBT, they can do anything a C17 can do as well, an AN 70 which is in the same class, but with more payload could possibly even carry an T90. These class of aircrafts fits between the strategic airlift and the tactical airlift that the C130s, or the coming MTA will do (transporting medium class loads, smaller vehicles, troops, commandos, or even tanker roles), because they can do both!

You are right, the C17 could carry even an Arjun tank, but only a single one! How economical, or reasonable is it, to divert the whole heavy air lift fleet to just carry hardly a dozon MBTs, while all other transport missions can't be done anymore? Even the US are using mainly the bigger C5, to transport MBTs or bigger vehicles, because they can carry more of them at a single flight.

The C17 is highly capable, no doubt about that, but was it really the only, or the best choice and doesn't we need higher numbers of aircrafts to do more sorties around India, instead of a smaller number with more payload? When you want to carry 77t that's an advantage of course, but when you normally carry just 20 to 40t, more aircrafts can do more sorties and that more economical!