Thread: India to buy 10 C-17's

Originally Posted by GunnerMKI

When each C-17s cost $191 million per aircraft. Why does it cost $4.5 billion for 10 Aircrafts??

2 Points.

1. The price also includes aircraft spare parts, simulators, flight instruction, ground support equipment, etc. You can not just by a military aircraft off the shelf these days without the backside supprot which is needed to keep it operational.

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Originally Posted by TopHatter

Air Vectors commented on the IL-76MF "stretch" version (similar to the C-141B upgrade) versus the C-17



Personally I'd much rather have the C-17, for a variety of reasons, but then again, I'm not the one having to cut the procurement check.

Agreed. I'm guessing the C-17's will also last a lot longer than the Il-76's. Plus, you don't have to worry about the company going bankrupt in the next decade or so (though Ilyushin HAS come a long ways since the '90's).

India Considering Six Additional Boeing C-17 Globemaster III Heavy Lift Aircrafts for Air Force



2010-11-09 Newspaper reports indicate that India is considering purchasing an additional six Boeing C-17 Globemaster III heavy airlift aircrafts -- these are on top of the ten previously ordered in a USD 4.1 billion deal expected to create more than twenty thousand jobs back in the United States.


"After we have evaluated the performance of the 10 C-17s, we will take a decision on whether to order another six."
--Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, Chief of the Indian Air Force

The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout the world; it can also perform tactical airlift, medical evacuation and airdrop missions.

The unit price for a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is roughly USD 200 million and an additional order for six should be worth around USD 2.4 billion.

India Considering Six Additional Boeing C-17 Globemaster III Heavy Lift Aircrafts for Air Force | India Defence

Wonder where they get those job numbers. The C-17 line has 5,000 workers. They put out 16 frames a year. The line is booked through 2013, add the India orders makes it 2014. They're sure not going to add 20,000 people in Long Beach for 16 frames.

Boeing's statement is the orders for the C-17's and 737's will "sustain" 22,000 jobs. They aren't looking to put more people on either in Long Beach or Renton any time soon- at least they aren't hiring (or advertising for) production people right now.

737's currently come off at 31.5 per month, that will go up to 35 per month in 2012 and 38 per month in 2013. Those orders continue to come in, so if there's any expansion it would be in Renton.

Subcontractors.

That said, I don't understand how it's going to be creating much of anything...the line is already open, so those jobs (mostly) probably already exist. Unless we're in some kind of bizarro 1960s where humans are replacing robots on the assembly line.

The 30 737's for Spicejet were already slotted in the 2010 order book, so it has no effect on the Renton backlog. 30 frames over 5 years delivery schedule starting 2014.

The orders are good news, but they aren't going to translate into a bunch of new hires.

Originally Posted by Jimmy

Subcontractors.

That said, I don't understand how it's going to be creating much of anything...the line is already open, so those jobs (mostly) probably already exist. Unless we're in some kind of bizarro 1960s where humans are replacing robots on the assembly line.

These must be jobs "created or saved" by Obama.

Originally Posted by Tronic

[
2010-11-09 Newspaper reports indicate that India is considering purchasing an additional six Boeing C-17 Globemaster III heavy airlift aircrafts -- these are on top of the ten previously ordered in a USD 4.1 billion deal expected to create more than twenty thousand jobs back in the United States.

The unit price for a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is roughly USD 200 million and an additional order for six should be worth around USD 2.4 billion.

India Considering Six Additional Boeing C-17 Globemaster III Heavy Lift Aircrafts for Air Force | India Defence

Who the hell comes up with these price figures

10 for 4.1 billion dollars (Has been denied by supplier as the value of the deal, its much higher).
200 million dollars per unit, hence additional order of 6 will cost 2.4 billion dollars. WTH that is just strange.

Sometimes I think it would be far cheaper to build a railroad line to Leh considering it is one of the most inhospitable terrain to cut through. I really don't see the need for C-17s when the IL-76s are doing the job adequately. We have very little overseas commitments. Even if we get 30 C-17s, we cannot utilize those planes to make any military tactical advantage or effect. Momentum will still need to come through the ground. I'd rather spend that amount of money building ground infrastructure or increase the training of our soldiers. It gives off a better rate of return than these overpriced planes.

Originally Posted by Blademaster

Sometimes I think it would be far cheaper to build a railroad line to Leh considering it is one of the most inhospitable terrain to cut through. I really don't see the need for C-17s when the IL-76s are doing the job adequately. We have very little overseas commitments. Even if we get 30 C-17s, we cannot utilize those planes to make any military tactical advantage or effect. Momentum will still need to come through the ground. I'd rather spend that amount of money building ground infrastructure or increase the training of our soldiers. It gives off a better rate of return than these overpriced planes.

And the roads will help in tourism, that is a beautiful stretch of road.


not the easiest of things to make a road up there
Manali-Leh road link may be used round-the-year - The Economic Times
Sonia to lay Rohatng Tunnel foundation, making Manali-Leh road usable round the year

Its not going to to be a plane purchased strictly for operations in Leh and Laddak.

Even with the roads they need an airlift capability, moving men and material by road takes time, more like an all round capability to balance the much discussed (in news media) capability of the chinese to make superhighways through the mountains.

I think price is considered with the available capability, the InAF analysed all available options from America, Europe and Russia, the plane was selected for its capability.

I agree though that for the near 6 billion dollar invested in the planes, and the billions required for the next 6 planes, the government should give equal billions to BRO for developing the roads along PRC border states (J&K, HP, UK, Sikkim, Aru.P)