The Indian Air Force (IAF) is actively working to improve its mid-air refuelling capacity, a critical component for extending the reach and effectiveness of its fighter jets.
Following the recent lease of a US-built KC-135 Stratotanker, reports suggest the IAF is now finalising a government-to-government agreement with France to lease an Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft. These moves aim to address immediate operational requirements and overcome long-standing issues with its existing tanker fleet.
To bolster its capabilities quickly, India's Ministry of Defence signed an agreement on March 28, 2025, with Metrea Aerospace, a US company specialising in aerial refuelling services. This contract involves wet leasing a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, meaning the aircraft will be provided along with the necessary crew, maintenance, and insurance. Metrea Aerospace is expected to deliver the aircraft within six months.
The KC-135, a veteran tanker used extensively by the US Air Force, can carry over 90 tonnes of fuel and features both boom and probe-and-drogue refuelling systems, making it compatible with a wide range of IAF aircraft like the Su-30 MKI, Rafale, and Jaguar, as well as the Indian Navy's MiG-29K fighters.
The primary goal of leasing the KC-135 is to enhance air-to-air refuelling training for both IAF and Navy pilots, addressing a significant gap in operational readiness.
The IAF's current fleet consists of six Ilyushin Il-78 tankers, acquired from Russia between 2003 and 2004. However, this fleet has faced persistent maintenance challenges, leading to operational availability often falling below 50%, significantly less than the target rate of 70%.
Securing the KC-135 provides a reliable platform for training and operations, extending the operational range and endurance of India's combat aircraft while the IAF evaluates more permanent solutions.
Building on the KC-135 arrangement, the IAF is reportedly nearing an agreement to wet lease an Airbus A330 MRTT directly from the French Air and Space Force. This deal, anticipated within the 2025-2026 financial year, is expected to be for an initial three-year period.
Under this government-to-government framework, the aircraft would be operated and maintained by French personnel, offering the IAF a low-risk opportunity to gain experience with the platform.
The A330 MRTT, based on the civilian A330 airliner, offers significant advantages, including a larger fuel capacity of 111 tonnes, a longer ferry range of 14,800 kilometres, and the ability to refuel multiple aircraft simultaneously using both under-wing pods and a central boom system.
The A330 MRTT has been the IAF's preferred tanker choice in the past. It was selected in two previous procurement attempts (in 2009 and 2013) over the Il-78, primarily due to lower long-term operating costs and its ability to serve as both a tanker and a transport aircraft. However, both acquisition processes were eventually cancelled by the Ministry of Defence's finance wing due to the high initial purchase cost, estimated between $1.5 and $2 billion for six aircraft.
The current wet lease strategy cleverly bypasses this financial obstacle, providing a cost-effective way for the IAF to train its personnel and evaluate the MRTT's suitability under Indian operating conditions. Notably, IAF pilots already have some familiarity with the French MRTTs, which refuelled IAF Rafale jets during their delivery flights from France and participated in joint exercises like Tarang Shakti-2024.
This renewed focus on enhancing aerial refuelling comes at a time of increased strategic importance for maintaining operational flexibility, particularly along India's northern borders (Line of Actual Control with China) and within the vital Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Aerial refuelling acts as a force multiplier, allowing fighter jets to fly longer missions, cover greater distances, and carry heavier weapon loads since they can take off with less fuel. The reliability issues with the Il-78 fleet have limited these capabilities, making the leased KC-135 and the anticipated A330 MRTT essential temporary measures.
Adopting leasing arrangements, facilitated by the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, marks a pragmatic shift in the IAF's procurement approach. Wet leasing allows for faster capability enhancement without the immediate large capital expenditure of buying aircraft outright. This frees up financial resources for other critical modernisation projects, such as the indigenous Tejas Mk2 fighter and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program.
While the KC-135 addresses immediate training needs, the A330 MRTT lease serves as a potential stepping stone towards a future permanent acquisition, aligning with the IAF's long-term requirement for six new tankers, as indicated in a 2018 Request for Information.
