Airbus Tries Again for Indian Tanker Win
AIN Defense Perspective » March 23, 2012 by Neelam Mathews March 23, 2012, 4:06 PM The Indian Air Force (IAF) will decide on a new multi-role tanker transport by year-end. Bids for six aircraft from Airbus Military for the A330MRTT and from Ilyushin for the Il-78MK are now being compared, Airbus Military market development vice president Ian Elliott told AIN in Delhi this week. The new in-flight refuelers will augment the existing fleet of six Il-78s, which has been in service for over half a decade at Agra airbase. Flight trials with Indian air force personnel were completed in November last year and included takeoffs and landings at 10,682-foot-elevation Leh airbase and participation by IAF Sukhoi Su-30s and Jaguars. India reissued its tender for the MRTT in late 2010. The IAF had previously selected the A330MRTT, but the Ministry of Finance later rejected it because of the high capital investment cost. Elliott...