In India, the Defense Acquisition Council has approved the potential purchase of six used civilian Boeing 767s. These aircraft will later be converted into aerial refueling tankers in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries.
A special committee was set up earlier this year to negotiate the final cost. The final cost is expected to be around $1 billion. The contract is likely to be signed in March this year, according to Defense News.
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Israel Aerospace Industries will manufacture refueling modules and other equipment in India. Indian aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will then retrofit and equip the Boeing 767s with this equipment.
India currently operates a fleet of six russian Il-78MKI aerial refueling aircraft, which were purchased from Uzbekistan back in 2003-2004. However, it soon became clear that India would need at least twice as many aerial refueling aircraft—around 12 in total.
Since 2006, tenders for this type of aircraft have been held regularly, with russian Il-78MKIs and their modernized Il-78MK-90A variant repeatedly losing out to Western alternatives. However, India's fleet of Il-78MKIs has not performed well.
The Il-78MKIs experienced frequent problems; ten years ago, their operational readiness was estimated at just 49%. In addition, there were problems with the supply of spare parts, operational issues due to weak engines, and unreliable refueling equipment.
As a result, India no longer considers buying additional Il-78MKIs, with the tender going to a project to convert used Boeing 767s into refueling tankers. After all, this is not technically new, as the American KC-46A is also based on the Boeing 767, and most other refueling aircraft are similarly derived from civilian aircraft.
Despite all the problems, India does not plan to retire its existing Il-78MKIs, as they still serve their purpose, and the country faces a critical shortage not only of tankers but also of combat aircraft. According to India's calculations, the country needs 42 combat aircraft squadrons, but currently has only 29.
The first Boeing 767 converted into an aerial refueling tanker is expected to arrive in India in 2030, which is a long wait given the regional tensions and the conflict with Pakistan in 2025. Meanwhile, China has finally admitted that their J-10 shot down the Rafale.
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