The two new Boeing 777 being retrofitted to be the future VVIP long haul aircraft for India will have the world’s most advanced security gizmos, including missile warning and counter-measure dispensing systems.
The soon-to-be Air India One or Indian Air Force One (if AI if privatised) aircraft will be equipped with "large aircraft infrared countermeasures (LAIRCM) self-protection suites (SPS) for an estimated cost of $190 million”. The US State Department has approved the 'foreign military sale' of two B777 LAIRCM SPS.
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Security updates in Air India One
The government of India has requested to buy two SPS consisting of… LAIRCM… Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite.. Counter-Measures Dispensing System (CMDS) to protect two Boeing-777 Head-of-State aircraft. This potential sale would include: twelve guardian laser transmitter assemblies… missile warning sensors.. counter-measures dispensing system..," the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), that comes under the US department of defence, said in a statement, adding, "Also included in this sale are Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites…"
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Under overhaul
Boeing had delivered the two B777 300 extended range (ER) to Air India last January. The airline sent these two to Fort Worth in Dallas last summer for being retrofitted with the latest security and communication systems so that they can replace the over 26-year-old jumbo jets used by the president, VP and PM for long international flights. The two are with Boeing Defence for retrofitting with the latest security and communication systems. The interim budget presented last week had allocated Rs 1,084 crore for purchasing these two planes. The two planes are expected to be in India by the year-end.
The government had last year released funds for retrofitting these two planes. "Air India had proposed to seek a short term loan of $180 million (over Rs 1,100 crore) from Bank of Baroda which was selected by way of tender process for the modification of two B-777 ER aircraft allocated for VVIP operations. However, this loan was not taken as the Government of India has released the required funds/amounts from National Small Savings Funds account for the payment towards both procurement and modification of these two B 777-300ER aircraft," minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha had told Parliament last year.
"These planes will be used for SESF of Government of India. The cost of cabin reconfiguration is now estimated $132 million for two B777- 300ER aircraft. The original estimate was around $180 million," Sinha had said in his Parliamentary reply last year.
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Fuel guzzlers
The over 26-year-old Boeing 747s being used today for long international flights by the president, VP and PM are perfectly safe to fly but due to their advanced age, they are fuel guzzlers. They also cannot fly longhaul routes like India-US nonstop and do so with a stop in Europe. AI has four B-747s of which two are kept for VVIP flying.
