Article Posted on : - Jul 10, 2011

C-17 transport aircraft. A Boeing Photo.

NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian Air Force (IAF) will induct its first C-17 Globemaster III, its largest strategic heavy lift aircraft, at the Hindan air force in Ghaziabad near here after it is procured from the US.

"We have decided to induct the C-17 at the Hindan air force base when the first aircraft would be delivered to us in the 2013-14 time-frame," IAF officials told PTI here.

India had recently signed its biggest defence deal with the US to procure ten C-17 heavy-lift aircraft for USD 4.1 billion under which American defence major Boeing will set up test facilities for hi-tech aeronautics engines for the DRDO.

Hindan, the closest air force station outside the capital, is already the home base for the C-130J Super Hercules which was inducted in February for carrying out Special Operations.

Till now, Agra has been the main hub of heavy lift aircraft such as the Ilyushin-76 and Il-78 mid-air refuelers along with the bases in Chandigarh and Nagpur.

After procuring the initial ten aircraft, the IAF is also planning to order six more of them to augment its fleet of the Il-76, C-130J and An-32 transporters.

The deal was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security for procuring the aircraft through the Foreign Military Sales route.

The Globemaster is capable of carrying a maximum payload of 77.5 tonnes, including combat vehicles, artillery guns and battle-ready troops and will strengthen India's capabilities to rapidly move troops and equipment in its areas of interest.

The four-engine aircraft is capable of taking off and landing even on makeshift runways, barely 3,500-feet long and 90-feet wide, India will be able to transport soldiers and combat systems to forward areas both on western and eastern fronts much faster.