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Boeing Completes Major Join of India's 1st C-17 Airlifter
Program on schedule to deliver strategic and humanitarian capabilities

 

 
 
  Published: August 2012
 
 
 
 
 

Long Beach, California. Boeing has integrated the forward, center and aft fuselages and the wing assembly of India's first C-17 Globemaster III due to be handed over to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Dec 2012.

 

The integration process was marked by initiating the riveting of these structures at the airlifter's "major join" ceremony July 31 here. India's Consul General in San Francisco N. Parthasarathi, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, and IAF and Boeing representatives witnessed the ceremony, regarded as a key milestone in an aircraft's production line.

India's Ministry of Defence signed an agreement with the U.S. government on June 15, 2011, to acquire 10 C-17 airlifters, making India the largest C-17 customer outside the U.S.

"The defense relationship between India and the United States is an important dimension of our strategic partnership," said Ambassador N. Parthasarathi. "This momentous occasion, where we see India's first C-17 take shape, further strengthens our growing relationship. As India strives to become a global reservoir of highly skilled and technologically sophisticated manpower, we will witness an escalating technology transfer, collaborative joint research and development, and co-production of defense items between our two countries."

"This is a proud day for the highly skilled Boeing workforce and our newest customer to celebrate a major production milestone," said Bob Ciesla, Boeing Airlift vice president and C-17 program manager. "We are preparing for India’s first C-17 to enter flight test on schedule early next year, and we look forward to providing for India's current and future needs and continuing to support C-17s long after they are delivered."

Mark Kronenberg, Boeing's Vice President for International Business Development, told India Strategic that he was looking forward to significant followp sales to India as Boeing was ready to transfer some of its best technologies to India. Boeing has won nearly $8 billion worth of orders from India for defence systems, including 10 C 17 Globemaster III aircraft for IAF and 12 P8-I armed maritime reconnaissance aircraft fore the Indian Navy after the US lifted restriction on sale of military systems to India in 2005.

Boeing has delivered 245 C-17s worldwide, including 217 to the U.S. Air Force active duty, Guard and Reserve units. A total of 28 C-17s have been delivered to Australia, Canada, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations.

The C 17 can land at and take off from small unpaved strips of just 3000 feet and has a remarkable safety record with just one accident due to pilot error in 20 years. Despite its huge size, it can operate with a small crew of two pilots and one loadmaster to load or unload cargo. Unlike most transport aircraft it is easy to fly, thanks to its simple joystick, akin to those in the fighter aircraft.

Patrick M Druez, incharge of Business Development programme for India, said that while the first aircraft would be physically handed over to IAF in December, it would be flown to India only in May or June 2013. Some Indian pilots are already training with the US Air Force at the Altus aurbase, and it would be upto the IAF and the USAF to see how best the aircraft is utilised.

The company would deliver all the 10 already ordered aircraft to India by mid-2014, he said.

India is acquiring the C 17s in a $ 4.1 billion deal from the US Government under what is called the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which manages military sales to various governments, charges a 2.5 to 5 percent fee for executing a deal, and in the case of C 17s, this has been calculated at 3.8 percent.

The C 17 is powered by four F117s Pratt & Whitney's PW2037 commercial engine used on the Boeing 757 jetliners.

 
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