Article Posted on : - Jan 11, 2010

The C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Boeing Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): US defence major Boeing has said India is planning to buy 10 C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift aircraft and the US Government has received a �Letter of Request� in this regard.

�Boeing is very pleased that the Indian Government has expressed interest in acquiring the C-17 to modernise its airlift capabilities, and we look forward to working closely with them,� Boeing Integrated Defense System's India head Vivek Lall said here.

Defence Ministry sources said the request to the US Government for the acquisition of C-17s was sent last year.

The IAF wants to procure the C-17 with a payload of around 75-80 tonnes, the only aircraft in this category, for augmenting its fleet of Russian IL-76 and An-32 transport aircraft.

The aircraft can lift around 200 fully-geared troops and can be used for carrying armoured vehicles, artillery guns and medium-sized helicopters from one place to another.

About the capabilities of the aircraft, Lall said the C-17 needs only 3,000 feet runway for take off and a very small crew to operate.

In the last three to four years, India has placed orders worth over $ 3.2 billion for procuring eight P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft and six C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft.

The C-17 deal, expected to be worth over $ 2.5 billion, would be done through Pentagon's Foreign Military Sales route under which inter-governmental deal is signed for arms sales. The C-130Js were also procured through the same route.