SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has secured MoD’s Permission to lease one Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) from the French Air Force, according to information provided to idrw.org. The lease, spanning three years, aims to alleviate pressure on the IAF’s ageing fleet of six Ilyushin Il-78 aerial tankers while offering operational experience with the advanced A330 MRTT platform.
However, ambiguity surrounds the delivery timeline, with idrw.org yet to receive clarity on when the leased aircraft will arrive in India. This strategic move not only addresses immediate capability gaps but also aligns with the IAF’s long-term goal of procuring six A330 MRTTs—a platform repeatedly favored by the IAF but stalled by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) over high procurement costs.
The existing fleet of six Il-78 tankers, inducted in 2003-2004, has faced persistent maintenance and serviceability challenges, with availability often dipping below 50%—well short of the desired 70% benchmark. This shortfall has strained the IAF’s operational flexibility, particularly amid heightened tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the need for sustained missions over the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The A330 MRTT, a twin-engine platform derived from the Airbus A330-200 airliner, offers superior capabilities over the Il-78. With a fuel capacity of 111 tons, a ferry range of 14,800 kilometres, and the ability to refuel multiple aircraft simultaneously via under-wing pods and a boom system, it is well-suited to support the IAF’s diverse fleet—including Su-30 MKIs, Rafales, and Jaguars. The three-year wet lease, which includes French crew and maintenance support, provides a cost-effective interim solution, allowing the IAF to train its personnel and assess the MRTT’s performance in Indian conditions without immediate capital expenditure.
The lease comes against the backdrop of the IAF’s decade-long struggle to acquire a modern tanker fleet. The A330 MRTT has been the IAF’s preferred choice in two previous tenders—in 2009 and 2013—emerging victorious over the Il-78 due to its lower lifecycle costs and dual-role versatility as a tanker and transport aircraft. However, both attempts were scuttled by the MoD’s finance wing, which rejected the deals citing the platform’s high upfront cost—estimated at $1.5-2 billion for six aircraft. Critics argued that the Il-78, while cheaper to procure, incurred higher operating expenses due to its four-engine design and ageing technology, a factor that failed to sway the MoD’s cost-centric stance.
The leasing option, enabled by the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, represents a pragmatic shift. By opting for a government-to-government wet lease—reportedly to be finalized in Fy2025-2026—the IAF sidesteps the procurement deadlock, gaining immediate access to a platform already proven in joint exercises like Desert Knight 21 (2021) and Tarang Shakti-2024, where French MRTTs refueled IAF aircraft.
Beyond the lease, the IAF remains committed to inducting six A330 MRTTs into its permanent fleet, a plan reiterated in its 2018 Request for Information (RFI) and reinforced by operational imperatives. The leased aircraft serves as a trial run, allowing the IAF to refine training protocols and build a case for eventual procurement. The MRTT’s compatibility with Rafales and its high-altitude performance in Ladakh make it indispensable,” a sentiment echoed by IAF officials who highlight its 1,800-kilometer combat radius and 50-ton fuel offload capacity over four hours.
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