In a major defence acquisition push, India on Friday cleared the procurement of 60 medium transport aircraft as well as a few other military platforms at a total cost of ₹2.38 lakh crore to boost the combat prowess of the defence forces. The procurement proposals were approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the Ministry of Defence's highest decision-making body on military procurement, media reports said.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is reportedly procuring the military transport aircraft to replace its ageing fleet of Soviet-era An-32 and Il-76 planes. The top contenders for the multi-billion-pound deal are Lockheed Martin's C-130J Super Hercules, Embraer's KC-390 aircraft, and Airbus Defence and Space's A400M plane, news agency PTI reported.
The A400M Atlas is a large airlifter capable of delivering heavy loads, such as fuel trucks, excavators, food, clothes, and medical supplies, and can use damaged or short runways. "Its large cargo hold enables the transport of most of the heavy and outsize loads of military and humanitarian aid equipment in service and to deliver it to unpaved airstrips," Airbus says on its website.
Here are five things to know about the military airlifter that may soon become part of the IAF's operations.
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1. The A400M is a four-engine turboprop military airlifter that is particularly known for its capability to operate in situations where other heavy airlifters cannot. While larger airlifters may find it difficult to work using unpaved airstrips, this is reportedly not an issue for the A400M. This means it can take loads too heavy or too large for medium airlifters over longer distances and land in challenging scenarios that usually favour lighter or medium aeroplanes.
2. The aircraft is a collaborative venture involving the governments and industries of six European countries. It is designed to support all three services and requires a two-pilot flight deck crew. The giant is supported by an integrated digital avionics system in the cockpit, night-vision capability, and a fly-by-wire control system.
3. "The A400M can carry heavy and outsize loads which cannot fit in current tactical airlifters, such as heavy armoured vehicles, helicopters, or specialised civil engineering equipment, and fly them at high cruise speeds over long distances in the same way as a jet-engine strategic airlifter," the official brochure claims. It is reportedly capable of maintaining a cruise speed similar to that of a turbofan aircraft.
4. The A400M has a maximum payload of 37 tonnes (81,600 lb). It can reach a maximum altitude of 40,000 ft and a top speed of 0.72 Mach. Its spacious interior accommodates outsize loads through a 4 m x 4 m cross-section and a total volume of 340 $m^3$. Furthermore, it excels over longer distances, offering twice the range of medium airlifters and the ability to transport 20 tonnes (44,000 lb) up to 3,400 nm.
5. Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom are the European nations involved, with Malaysia, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan also operating the aircraft. Airbus claims a total of 178 orders have been placed so far for their premium military aircraft, which has completed over 200,000 flight hours. Apart from transport missions, the A400M is equipped to perform aerial refuelling and medical evacuation if provided with additional gear. According to the UK's Royal Air Force, the Atlas can carry 116 passengers, or nine aircraft pallets and 54 passengers, or 66 stretchers.
