Article Posted on : - Nov 08, 2010

The C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft. A Boeing Photo.

MUMBAI (BNS): The Indian Air Force (IAF) and the US' Boeing Company on Saturday reached a preliminary agreement on the purchase of 10 C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft and are now in the process of finalizing the details of the sale.

According to media reports, a White House statement was issued in regard to the defence agreement. The statement also said that once all the heavy transport aircraft have been delivered, the IAF will be the owner and operator of the largest fleet of C-17s outside of the US.

"Each C-17 supports 650 suppliers across 44 US states and that this order will support Boeing's C-17 production facility in Long Beach, California, for an entire year. This transaction is valued at approximately $4.1 billion, all of which is US export content, supporting an estimated 22,160 job," the statement said, as per the news report.

India has also selected the General Electric Company for a contract to provide the Indian Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) with 107 F414 engines to be installed on the indigenously produced Tejas light combat aircraft.

Both defence deals worth nearly $5 billion promises to give employment to nearly 26500 people in USA.