On the heels of yesterday’s announcement that the United Arab Emirates recently finalized the purchase of six Boeing C-17 aircraft, Boeing released a statement today revealing that the nation of India has expressed interest in possibly purchasing ten additional aircraft.
India’s Ministry of Defence and the Indian Air Force submitted a Letter of Request to the United States government, inquiring about a potential deal. Boeing recently completed a series of C-17 demonstration flights in India, as the nation has been interested in replacing its current fleet of airlifters (Russian AN-32 and IL-76 aircraft).
Nineteen of the 212 C-17 aircraft currently operating around the world belong to international customers, Boeing said.
"Boeing is very pleased that the Indian government has expressed interest in acquiring the C-17 to modernize its airlift capabilities, and we look forward to working closely with them," said a statement from Tommy Dunehew, Boeing Global Mobility Systems vice president of Business Development. "We believe the C-17 can fulfill India's needs for military and humanitarian airlift to help it meet its growing domestic and international responsibilities."
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is produced almost entirely in Long Beach, providing upwards of 5,000 jobs to the area. The program was nearly cut this year when the Department of Defense debated whether or not to renew orders for the aircraft, however in recent months there has been a significant push towards ordering new aircraft and keeping the assembly line moving.
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