Airbus Military has confirmed that it has been selected as the preferred bidder for the Indian air force’s (IAF) aerial refueling tanker program.
India is discussing the purchase of six aircraft in a deal worth around $1 billion. India selected the Airbus A330 multirole tanker transport (MRTT) aircraft over the Russian-built Ilyushin Il-78 tanker aircraft, a variant of the Il-76 transport plane already in service with the IAF.
In a statement, Airbus Military said the aircraft would be “delivered over a 51-month period starting at a date to be agreed as part of the contractual discussions.”
Preferred bidder status in India means that the platform has been selected, but this does not represent a final contractual decision.
07/01/13 Anthony Osborne/Aviation Week
