While the provision of two leased tankers is unable to completely fulfil all of the operational taskings of India’s entire fleet of six Il-78s, they will at the very least ease the burden on a clearly struggling tanker force. Both the French Air Force’s MRTTs and Metrea’s KC-135s are equipped with refueling booms, giving India the possibility of extending the P-8s’ already impressive range even further for the first time. Forging a third path and refusing to align with either the Western bloc or the Eastern bloc, India’s military sought equipment from an eager to sell Soviet Union as well as from the familiar offerings of the United Kingdom.
Author: Kai Greet
Published at: 2025-03-29 14:05:09
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