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The C-17 heavy transport aircraft | Source:
Indian Air Force
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MANU PUBBY 8 November, 2017
Special request made to US in 2015 to hold
last C-17 Globemaster aircraft; MoD process stuck despite approval.
New Delhi: India is on the
verge of losing the last available C-17 heavy transport aircraft that it
lobbied hard to procure due to red tape. There is also a possibility of another
country snagging the much valued lifter because of India’s delays.
The Indian Air Force has been keen to add to its current
fleet of 10 C-17 Globemaster aircraft that have taken part in rescue and relief
missions, besides carrying out operational missions across the country.
The IAF had cleared a proposal in 2015 to buy three more
heavy lifters at a cost of Rs 8,100 crore but the long running procurement
process meant that its manufacturer, Boeing, ran out of aircraft to sell. The
C-17 production line has been shut down and only one aircraft was left for
offer to India.
While the Indian side made efforts at the highest levels
to procure the last available C-17 in the world – requesting Washington to
block sales request from other countries interested in the aircraft – the
bureaucratic processes are not yet complete.
Officials told ThePrint that Washington could rescind the
offer due to repeated delays by the defence ministry to send the formal ‘Letter
of Acceptance’ (LOA). An LOA is part of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route
that India and the US follow for direct government-to-government sales.
Sources said that while the Indian side had until October
to respond to the LOA, an extension was requested from Washington to extend the
date until November. Now, a further extension has been sought until next year
and that could derail the procurement process further.
Delays and extensions have remained a norm for most
Indian defence procurements over the years and there have been several
instances when equipment was finally bought after more than five years’ delay
and at a higher cost.
In 2011, India had bought 10 such aircraft at a cost of
$4.7 billion. The contract also had a follow-on clause to procure six more
aircraft. However, with limited resources available, the IAF had asked for an
additional three, impressed by its abilities, especially in rescue and relief
missions in India and the neighbourhood.
Original post: theprint.in
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