India seeks 60 new transport aircraft for IAF, invites bids for a $10 billion deal

It is reliably learnt that Airbus, which had initially offered its A400M, is likely to sit it out since its aircraft outweighs requirements with payload capacity of 37 tonnes.

File photo of Embraer’s KC-390 Millennium and Lockheed Martin’s C-130J | Illustration: Shruti Naithani/ThePrint

New Delhi: The Defence Ministry Wednesday issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to procure 60 new transport aircraft to replace ageing AN-32s and possibly IL-76 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) with an option clause for more.

The RFP has been issued to multiple Indian companies including the TATA Group, Mahindra, Adani Defence and state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Under the contract, the Indian companies will tie up with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to set up the final assembly line and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) centres in the country.

While the initial lot of aircraft will come in fly away condition, the rest would be manufactured in India with a need for minimum 40 percent indigenisation, which will be increased to 60 percent in a phased manner. 

Sources in the defence and security establishment said that the aircraft will be in the weight category of 18-30 tonnes. 

The two front runners for the project are TATA Group—which has tied up with American firm Lockheed Martin—and Mahindra Defence, which has tied up with Brazilian Embraer.

HAL has tied up with Russia after both revived their 2009 plan to collaborate on the Multi-role Transport Aircraft (MTA) project, but it was called off in 2016.

Lockheed Martin’s C-130J Hercules, 12 of which are already operated by the IAF, meets the lower end of the requirement with a payload capacity of around 19 tonnes. The KC-390 of the Embraer sits near the upper limit with a payload capability of 26 tonnes.

It is reliably learnt that Airbus, which had initially offered its A400M, is likely to sit out since they outweigh specified requirements with their aircraft having a payload capacity of 37 tonnes.

Now that the RFP has been issued, the companies to which they have been sent, will respond with their bids, following which, after technical analysis, there will be a trial held before the final aircraft is selected.

Interestingly, while Embraer has a tie-up for military aircraft with Mahindra, they have a tie-up with the Adani Group for civilian aircraft. 

It would be interesting to see who Embraer finally goes with if it gets selected. 

The aircraft should also be able to undertake operations in high altitude and be able to land and take-off in unprepared runways like India’s Advanced Landing Ground (ALGs) in Ladakh and the Northeast.

This is part of the IAF’s plan to have a wide range of transport aircraft that are capable of lifting different kinds of equipment and tonnage for humanitarian and special group operations. 

(Edited by Gitanjali Das)