Airbus tanker wins - again

The tanker story never seems to end does it? The Indian Air Force decided to buy six A330 MRTTs rather than six IL-78 aerial tankers. India has been using six IL-78s since 2003, but felt the MRTT was a better value. What a shock! Poor reliability and maintenance support, as well as unpredictable pricing, leads India to increasingly depend on Western military gear.

The MRTT carries 111t of fuel, plus 43t of cargo on 26 pallets. The MRTT can also carry 238 passengers, because its main deck does not have fuel containers as is the case with the IL-78. This makes the MRTT more flexible and capable of moving lots of cargo or troops.

India is buying these MRTTs for ~$167m apiece, delivery begins in three years. By the way we hear that Boeing is moving towards a 767-400 based tanker for the next round. Its no wonder why is it?

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