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Boeing withdraws from Indian midair tanker tender

GORKHALI

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Boeing withdraws from Indian midair tanker tender New Delhi, Jan 20, (IANS) :
Boeing has withdrawn from the midair tanker tender floated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in September 2010. That leaves only the European Airbus A330 MRTT and the Russian IL 78 in the fray for supplying six midair refuelers to the IAF, which may actually buy a few more aircraft on follow-on orders later. At present, IAF flies six IL 78 tankers, which are doing well but are of old technology and IAF is looking for newer, better options. In fact, the Airbus 330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) had won the competition earlier but as it was regarded as too expensive, re-tendering was ordered. Boeing has a new generation 767 under development but will not operationalise it until it gets the US Air Force's order for 179 aircraft. Theevaluation for that, against the EADS Airbus A 330 MRTT is still going on, although a decision is expected in the first half of this year. Boeing Vice President for Defence,Space and Security in India Dr Vivek Lall told India Strategic defence magazine (..:: India Strategic ::.. Home Page: The authoritative monthly on Defence and Strategic Affairs.) that Boeing had to withdraw as the last date for complying with the tender bid was Jan 12. Dr Lall said: Only upon the outcome of the KC-X competition for replacement of US Air Force refueling takers will be able to fully determine our ability to participate in future international competitions. Boeing is committed to assist our international customers meet their military requirements but we are not in a position now to discuss any detail expressed by specific customers." However, he said, if the USAF accepted the Boeing 767 tanker and the IAF extended the date for the competition, "Boeing would be happy to take part." That does not seem likely though as the Indian Air Force is under a planned phase of transformation and further delay could upset the overall schedule. Midair tankers are required to extend the range of both combat and transport aircraft. Notably, the Indian tankers are fitted with Israeli probes, and the tender, or the Request for Proposales (RfP), was also issued to the Israel Aircraft
Industries (IAI) just in case it could
buy some aircraft and integrate its systems on board. The Israeli response is not known.
 
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The A330 MRTT does look good but India should definitely go with Il-78,as you already possesses 6 Il-78MKI a.k.a MARS.Having the same type of mid air refulers will make it cost effective in repairs,maintenance and the familiarization with the new type will also take time.
 
I hope Airbus wins the tender now!

That's definitely good news for Airbus and I am sure that we will go for them with the higher budget, the only interesting point will be if the Russians really will field a tanker varient of the IL 96, the IL 78 will have no chance for sure!
 
That's definitely good news for Airbus and I am sure that we will go for them with the higher budget, the only interesting point will be if the Russians really will field a tanker varient of the IL 96, the IL 78 will have no chance for sure!

Airbus tosses its hat in IAF’s tanker race


New Delhi, January 20, 2011

European defence firm Airbus Military has once again tossed its hat in the ring for the Indian Air Force's $1 billon (Rs 4,500 crore) contract for mid-air refueling aircraft, a year after the tender was scrapped due to objections raised by the finance ministry. Aerial refuellers expand the operating radius of fighter jets by tanking them up during flight.


The Spain-based firm, part of European conglomerate EADS, was on the verge of clinching the two-cornered contest, but finance ministry's reservations over the steep price of the Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) led to the cancellation of the contract. The A330 MRTT was locked in stiff competition with the Russian IL-78 refuellers.

After operating IL-78 tankers for six years, the air force had made it clear to the defence ministry that the Russian platform did not meet its requirements and it wanted to go in for the A330 MRTT. But the finance ministry's doubts over "reasonableness of price and competitiveness of bids" stacked the odds against Airbus. The A330 MRTT is a military derivative of the A330-200 commercial aircraft of the Airbus family.

Airbus Military's head of market development Didier Vernet said the firm had responded to the defence ministry's fresh request for proposal (global tender) for midair refuellers in early January. "We are very much in the competition and probably have a better chance as the A330 MRTT has obtained military certification," he said.

Vernet refused to comment on the cost advantage that the Russians would bring to the table with the IL-78. "The A330 MRTT is a new generation refueller, it cannot be compared with the IL-78," he said.

Russian equipment comes at a cheap upfront price, but questions have been raised about inflated life-cycle costs. Former IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Major said, "There's no doubt that the Airbus platform is far more expensive even if you factor in low lifecycle costs, spare support and reliability. But the A330 MRTT scores on technology and that makes it worthwhile in the long run."

The defence ministry had floated a tender for six midair refuellers to achieve rapid global mobility for the air force four years ago. There are currently six IL-78 tankers in the air force's inventory.

Some of the irritants in India-Russia defence ties include mid-way price escalation of projects with long gestation period, problems with steady supply of spares and transfer of technology from Russia. Poor vendor support after the disintegration of the Soviet Union has also complicated matters, a senior IAF official said.

Moscow had committed to deliver aircraft carrier Gorshkov (now INS Vikramaditya) with 16 embarked MiG-29K fighters by 2008. But the carrier will arrive only by 2012-2013. India had contracted the Gorshkov for $1.5-billion (Rs 6,750 crore) in January 2004, but Russians revised the price to $2.33 billion (Rs 10,485 crore).

While the navy inducted four MiG-29Ks in February 2010, it will be operating the maritime fighters from ashore for the next two years.

The A330 MRTT has won several tanker competitions with contracts signed by the governments of United Kingdom, Australia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The Indian Air Force is, however, nowhere close to inducting new tankers. The tanker deal could take at least two more years to finalise. The first refueller will be delivered to the air force three years after the signing of the contract.

Vernet said that Airbus Military would submit its `offset proposal' for the tanker contract to the defence ministry in April. The defence ministry's offset policy makes it compulsory for foreign vendors to invest in India 30% of the value of contracts worth more than Rs 300 through purchases, investments and transfer of technology.

A significant amendment in the country's defence procurement rules, announced by defence minister AK Antony in early January, allows foreign vendors to plough billions of dollars into non-defence sectors that were out of bounds for them.

India has thrown open its civil aerospace and internal security sectors to foreign defence suppliers, giving them more elbow room to discharge contractual obligations that come with big-ticket military deals.


Airbus tosses its hat in IAF?s tanker race - Hindustan Times
 
Airbus A330 tanker damaged in refuelling mishap

MILITARY AVIATION AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY NEWS: Airbus A330 tanker damaged in refuelling mishap

Airbus Military has launched an investigation into an in-flight refuelling mishap that damaged one of the Royal Australian Air Force's delayed A330 multi-role tanker transports (MRTT).
MOD-578577_MRTTwetcontact210-21-09.jpg

The aircraft was being operated by Airbus Military personnel from the company's Getafe site near Madrid, Spain when the incident happened at around 17:00 local time on 19 January. Also involved was a Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter from the Portuguese air force.
"The incident resulted in the detachment and partial loss of the refuelling boom from the MRTT," the Australian Department of Defence says. The separated part fell into the sea after causing "some damage to both aircraft", which then "returned safely to their home airfields", it adds.

"Airbus Military and the relevant European military airworthiness authorities will have the lead responsibility for investigating the incident," the DoD says. Australian experts will also participate in the process.

Designed by EADS, the MRTT's advanced refuelling boom system uses fly-by-wire controls and has an extended length of 18.2m (60ft). The system is also being installed on A330 tankers on order for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The mishap comes at an embarrassing time for EADS North America, which is offering the A330-based KC-45 against the Boeing 767 NewGen Tanker in the US Air Force's 179-aircraft KC-X contest. Its offer draws heavily on the MRTT configuration developed for Australia.

Airbus chief executive Tom Enders describes KC-X as "a very important business opportunity for EADS and Airbus".

Australia will receive five MRTTs under the nation's Project Air 5402 acquisition. The first two had been due to arrive in December, but Airbus Military and the DoD are still working to complete the necessary paperwork ahead of the transfer. To be designated the KC-30A in RAAF service, the type had originally been due to enter use from mid-2009.
 

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