The Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) of the Indian Ministry of Defense on December 29 approved an allocation of 9,000 crore rupees — approximately $1 billion — for the procurement of six Boeing 767 MMTT (Multi Mission Tanker Transport) tanker aircraft for the Indian Air Force.
According to information shared by the Indian Defense News portal, the planes were produced by the Israeli company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) It will be supplied by India in partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Within the scope of the project, used Boeing 767 aircraft supplied from the civilian market will be converted into military platforms for aerial refueling and multi-mission transportation.
In line with the requirements set by the Indian Ministry of Defense, the program requires at least 30 percent domestic industry participation and HAL will lead the contribution of Indian companies. The conversion of the aircraft will be carried out by IAI, which has proven experience in such modifications.
so far Boeing 767 MMTT It has only one operator worldwide: the Colombian Air Force, which has operated a single aircraft, called Jupiter, with registration number FAC-1202 since 2010. This aircraft was converted by IAI based on the Boeing 767-200ER and is the operational reference of the model.
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India’s new tanker aircraft procurement program has been ongoing since 2006 and has involved various tender processes over the years. Although the Indian government has opted for the Airbus A330 MRTT on many occasions, these decisions have been repeatedly withdrawn due to high procurement costs, estimated at at least US$2 billion for the six new aircraft.
Choosing the Boeing 767 MMTT, converted from used airframes, aims to create an alternative that is lower cost and offers higher industrial flexibility, while also meeting the Indian Air Force’s need for increased aerial refueling capacity and strategic transport.
Source and images: Indian Defence News | Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). This content was prepared with the support of artificial intelligence and reviewed by the editorial team.
