The Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) of India’s Ministry of Defense on December 29 approved an allocation of 9,000 crore rupees — about 1 billion US dollars — for the procurement of six Boeing 767 MMTT (Multi Mission Tanker Transport) for the Indian Air Force.
According to information published by the Indian Defense News portal, the planes will be delivered by the Israeli company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)in collaboration with the Indian Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The project involves the conversion of used Boeing 767 aircraft, purchased on the civilian market, into military platforms for aerial refueling and multi-role transport.
In line with the requirements set by India’s Ministry of Defence, at least 30 per cent local industrial participation must be ensured in the programme, with HAL as the leading actor for the contribution from Indian companies. The conversion of the aircraft will be carried out by IAI, which has documented experience with this type of modification.
As of today has Boeing 767 MMTT only one operator in the world: the Colombian Air Force, which since 2010 has operated a single example known as Jupiter, registered as FAC-1202. The aircraft was rebuilt by IAI from a Boeing 767-200ER and serves as the operational reference for the type.
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India’s program for the acquisition of new tanker aircraft has been ongoing since 2006 and over the years has included several tender processes. On several occasions, the Indian government opted for the Airbus A330 MRTT, but the decision was repeatedly rejected due to the high procurement costs — estimated at at least US$2 billion for six new aircraft.
The choice of the Boeing 767 MMTT, rebuilt from used airframes, therefore represents a more affordable alternative with greater industrial flexibility, while also meeting the Indian Air Force’s growing need for increased capacity in aerial refueling and strategic transport.
Source and images: Indian Defence News | Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). This content has been prepared with the help of KI and reviewed by the editors.
