Airbus A400M Atlas

[arnabmit]

Watch this movie-length mission video. A goldmine of information.

 

[Tshering22]

Watch this movie-length mission video. A goldmine of information.

Beautiful!

We will soon have to replace the older Il-76s that are becoming more and more hangar queens. They were good in their haydays and carried immense loads.

Since C-17s are no longer available, what are the chances of us inducting Airbus A400M?

The other options that we have:

Brazilian Embraer C-390
Japanese Kawasaki C-2
Russian Ilyushin Il-476 (modernized 76)
Ukrainian Antonov An-70

 

[asianobserve]

Watch this movie-length mission video. A goldmine of information.

This is a very good transport.

 

[Angel of War]

Beautiful!

We will soon have to replace the older Il-76s that are becoming more and more hangar queens. They were good in their haydays and carried immense loads.

Since C-17s are no longer available, what are the chances of us inducting Airbus A400M?

The other options that we have:

Brazilian Embraer C-390
Japanese Kawasaki C-2
Russian Ilyushin Il-476 (modernized 76)
Ukrainian Antonov An-70

A400M can't airlift tanks , can it ?

 

[asianobserve]

A400M can't airlift tanks , can it ?

Not MBTs.

 

[Spitfire9]

I see max load for A400M given as 37T in Wiki. Is that enough?

 

[Tshering22]

I see max load for A400M given as 37T in Wiki. Is that enough?

It can carry 1 Kestrel weighing 25T with that capacity and some supplies for air-dropping.

But for future modernization there isn't really any other option.

One option could be buying the entire An-70 design and production rights from Antonov and setting up a joint manufacturing plant in India. An-70s can carry 47 tons.

BUT nothing comes close to the C-17.

 

[arnabmit]

BUT nothing comes close to the C-17.

Ilyushin IL-76MD-90A (IL-476) Aircraft - Airforce Technology

Ilyushin IL-76MD-90A is a new military transport aircraft (code name: IL-476) developed by Ilyushin Aviation Complex, a subsidiary of United…

www.airforce-technology.com

 

[jackprince]

We may procure a few A400 to fill the niche of airlifter in medium category. But, A400 wont be the replacement of IL 76s. For the size of our borders and the army, we need at another dozen of heavy lifters - and right now only IL 76 MDs fill that criteria, unless A330s can be partially modified to complement the C17 fleet. But A330s - even if modified - can never be a true military heavy lifter IMO.

 

[Tshering22]

Ilyushin IL-76MD-90A (IL-476) Aircraft - Airforce Technology

Ilyushin IL-76MD-90A is a new military transport aircraft (code name: IL-476) developed by Ilyushin Aviation Complex, a subsidiary of United…

www.airforce-technology.com

The ILs apparently have a lower availability compared to the C-130s and the C-17s. The IAF has tasted fresh blood and don't want to go back to the old beast.

I am guessing that given the speed of India-Japan ties, we might be going for the Kawasaki C-2 large airlifter. It has a lot of Boeing pedigree and naturally, the availability would be very high, much in line to IAF's thinking.

It is the latest and the best available in the market. Moreover, the Japanese have been offering them to the UAE Air Force since 2019 air show in Singapore. That means it is open for international sales. Kawasaki has a local order by JASDF for 22 of them. We have 19 IL-76 Gajrajs to be replaced and could easily place 19 orders and ask the Japanese to source parts and components from India. Buying production lines would be too expensive I guess.

C-2 being a cargo airlifter, the Japanese would be happy to sell it to us. Such a deal would further rattle China.

 

[Covfefe]

The ILs apparently have a lower availability compared to the C-130s and the C-17s. The IAF has tasted fresh blood and don't want to go back to the old beast.

I am guessing that given the speed of India-Japan ties, we might be going for the Kawasaki C-2 large airlifter. It has a lot of Boeing pedigree and naturally, the availability would be very high, much in line to IAF's thinking.

View attachment 124741

It is the latest and the best available in the market. Moreover, the Japanese have been offering them to the UAE Air Force since 2019 air show in Singapore. That means it is open for international sales. Kawasaki has a local order by JASDF for 22 of them. We have 19 IL-76 Gajrajs to be replaced and could easily place 19 orders and ask the Japanese to source parts and components from India. Buying production lines would be too expensive I guess.

C-2 being a cargo airlifter, the Japanese would be happy to sell it to us. Such a deal would further rattle China.

Kawasaki C2's payload is only around 36-37 tonnes(twin engine as compared to four engines of IL76 and C17) as against~52 tonnes of IL76 and 70 tonnes plus of C17. It's like an intermediate between C130 and C17 but can't replace IL76, mostly due to Tanks movement get restricted (~55 tonnes)

 

[asianobserve]

Kawasaki C2's payload is only around 36-37 tonnes(twin engine as compared to four engines of IL76 and C17) as against~52 tonnes of IL76 and 70 tonnes plus of C17. It's like an intermediate between C130 and C17 but can't replace IL76, mostly due to Tanks movement get restricted (~55 tonnes)

Kawasaki C-2 is the same category as A400M but with much higher payload, faster speed, flies further, and competetively priced.

 

[Covfefe]

Kawasaki C-2 is the same category as A400M but with much higher payload, faster speed, flies further, and competetively priced.

Yes, but it substitutes neither IL76 nor C17 which come in strategic airlifter category capable of carrying MBTs.

 

[asianobserve]

Yes, but it substitutes neither IL76 nor C17 which come in strategic airlifter category capable of carrying MBTs.

Negotiate with US and Boeing to buy the C-17 tooling and reopen production line in India.

 

[Covfefe]

Negotiate with US and Boeing to buy the C-17 tooling and reopen production line in India.

Too expensive for the limited domestic requirement. Will have to look at the global upcoming market. US already has a huge fleet of some 220+ C17s so their domestic requirement is highly unlikely.

 

[Spitfire9]

Negotiate with US and Boeing to buy the C-17 tooling and reopen production line in India.

Have Boeing stored the tooling?

 

[asianobserve]

Have Boeing stored the tooling?

They are required to keep tooling.

 

[asianobserve]

Too expensive for the limited domestic requirement. Will have to look at the global upcoming market. US already has a huge fleet of some 220+ C17s so their domestic requirement is highly unlikely.

It's only IL76 in production right now.

 

[asianobserve]

IL76MD-90A

 

[Covfefe]

IL76MD-90A
View attachment 124807
View attachment 124808
View attachment 124809
View attachment 124810

Yeah, but IAF is kind of wary of Russian jets now. (Possibly they always were but didn't have the options)