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India desperately needs more transport aircraft

30th June 2022 - 18:53 GMT | by Neelam Mathews in Delhi

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India needs additional transport aircraft, and the largest type available at present is the A400M Atlas. (Photo: Airbus)

How can the Indian Air Force fill major gaps in its airlift fleet, since few new transport aircraft types are available?

The absence of a medium transport aircraft, and its continued use on ageing Ilyushin Il-76s without spares, means that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is struggling to fill airlift capability gaps.

Furthermore, India’s 11 Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs are being severely flogged, having to fill multiple roles to a large extent, including disaster management.

Speaking to Shephard, one IAF pilot bemoaned: ‘We should have bought more C-17s’. However, Boeing no longer produces the aircraft.

A decision has been pending for more than six years to replace the Il-76 airlifters too, but replacing their current D-30KP turbofan engines with PS-90A-76 bypass engines could

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Neelam Mathews

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Neelam Mathews


Neelam Mathews was born in India and completed her education in London.

She has written for …

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