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Ah what could’ve been..... IAF wanted 16 minimum but as many as 22-24 of these beasts and will only ever be able to get 11 (unless that line gets restarted). This saga should be a lesson in how inept and unresponsive the MOD is, Boeing were crying for new orders for years and informed IAF...

Is there any chance that the C17 will start flying in pixie dust? Seems about as plausible as the crap you’ve written. What don’t you get? Pakistan is a bankrupt better of a nation that is one wrong move away from a total economic collapse. Don’t bring your Zarvan style delusions over here...

Indeed. That is the only hope now. US WOT has pushed their transport fleet far beyond their expected annual cycles meaning their lifespans are likely to Be reduced quite considerably and a replacement sought sooner which could just be more (new build) C17s. This would be ideal but not sure how...

It was a very unfortunate time to have got on c17 bandwagon as it was the last days of production but even still if India had committed to 20+ units Boeing would’ve delivered. UPA and IAF dithering ensured production ceased and those 9 of those 10 “whitetails” were also taken off the table...

Stupid. Make them fly indigo or some other airline. Using these beasts as taxis for VIP families is an appalling misuse of resources. Not only are you taking precious life out of this small fleet but the per hour cost of a C17 flight is huge. Fking VVIP culture everywhere.

The deal is likely over at least 10 years so $67m/year. It will include more level D full mission simulators which alone cost $10+ m each. No doubt that modern military equipment is not cheap and remember that India got a PBL from Boeing for the C17 fleet to maintain 85% availability at all...

A couple of years back the IAF had made it clear they needed at least 22 but would liek 26 (I'll try to find a link), then when the white tails were being snatched up they scaled it down to 3 more and now just one more because there are no more units availible, truly pathetic work from the MoD...

Pathetic reporting, you think a C-17 is going to be sold for more than $4bn USD?!! Someone has probably missed a decimal there. The price will be in the $300-400m range. Sadly we will only ever get a fleet of 11 when the IAF had wanted 22-26, thanks to the UPA.

Not to worry sir, the Rafale saga is actually rather simpler than many are painting it as. The 36 deal is not it, it is merely the "first course" and as Modi explicitly stated "to meet the urgent requirements of the IAF". Dassualt is in talks with the MoD to make 90++ Rafales in India and no...

Which orders? Care to expand sir?

Anyway @AnantS @Bahamut let's not drag the MTA into this matter, it is seperate to the heavy lift fleet of the IAF and even if it had been developed as planned would not have addressed the issues I have outlined in my first post. The C-295/Avros/An-32/MTA are for the IAF's internal transport...

Actually the FADEC requirement had existed from day one, I don't know why the Russians entirely ignored that demand for the entire span of the "partnership". It's easy to blame the IAF but I will give them the benefit of the doubt here. They are the end users and are the ones who are being asked...

True but once the first payment is made then the order is all but a certainty. There is little scope for controversy around these birds and thus if the funds had been there at the time more C-17s would have been ordered that's for sure. The IAF was just very very unlucky in its timing, already...

The USAF's needs are met for the next 30 years at least. The next generation transport a/c is a very low priority item for them (and NATO). The IAF needs something today, not 25-30 years from now. Like I said, the real crisis will be 10-15 years from now when the IL-76 fleet starts to be phased...

This is a very remote possibility IMO and if it is even on the table it won't be an option for another 15-20 years at least ie much longer than the IAF can afford to wait. The USAF received their full order (plus about 20-30 extra units that they were forced to accept for poltical reasons) of...

Anyone else notice how, since the induction of the 3rd/4th C-17, every SINGLE time the IAF/nation has needed a rapid response airlifter for crisis (Yeman Evac, Maldives water crisis, SL cyclone, Fiji cyclone, Nepal earthquake etc etc etc I literally could go on and on) they have turned to the...

What are physical and facial personalities sir? Please tell me how a ship can supply the North/NE with tanks, ICVs, Arty, infantry etc? The C-17 fills a very necessary role for the Indian armed forces.

Are you reffering to that Air vice marshal who seemingly refuses to smile? From all the accounts I've ever heard regarding Indian military officers/soldiers interacting with foreingers- Indian officers/soldiers always seem to come off very polite, courteous and warm .

IAF's first C-17 handed over to the IAF: