The NDA Government has approved a proposal for creation of a dedicated VVIP air transport for the President and the Prime Minister on the lines of the US Air Force One that is used exclusively for the travel of the American President.
Named Air Force One, it will comprise two Boeing 777 Extended Range aircraft for the exclusive international travel of the President and the Prime Minister.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar accorded in-principle approval for raising the Indian version of the American Air Force One, at the meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council on Saturday, top Government sources said quoting the minutes of the meeting.
Earlier, the call sign of the Boeing 747 aircraft used for ferrying the President and the Prime Minister was Air India One. However, from now on, it will be known as Air Force One.
The acquisition of the two special aircraft is estimated to cost about Rs1,400-crore, for which the tendering process is expected to begin soon.
The project will later on have to be vetted by the Cabinet Committee on Security as it entails an expenditure of over Rs1,000-crore.
The defence and security equipment of the two aircraft, including the electronic warfare suites and jammers, will be maintained by the Indian Air Force. Apart from these features, the planes will also have emergency evacuation suites, advanced anti-missile shield and encrypted satellite communication systems besides conference rooms and restrooms.
Incidentally, the Air Force One of the US, is maintained, serviced and operated by the US Air Force.
The two aircraft will be serviced and operated by Air India, which will exploit them commercially when they are not being used by the VVIPs. The idea of economic exploitation of the special aircraft is to derive maximum benefit from the investments made in them.
The Boeing 777 Extended Range is the world’s largest wide-body twin-engine jet with a seating capacity of 314 to 451 passengers, with a range of 5,235 to 9,500 nautical miles (9,695 to 17,594 km). It has computer-mediated controls and can cover more than half the globe at a stretch.
The aircraft, with extended range, modern communication systems, security features and amenities are being seen as a welcome move by the security and Intelligence agencies as Narendra Modi is one of the most widely-travelled Prime Ministers of India till now, constantly crisscrossing the globe to raise the profile of the country by sealing strategic and economic pacts with foreign Governments.
Apart from other decisions, the DAC also approved a mega project worth Rs4,000-crore for procurement of Brahmos missiles for integration with the Delhi and Talwar Class warships.
Brahmos missiles will act like anti-ship missiles and can destroy hostile ships within their range. Brahmos will provide a safety radius of 300 km to the warships. The missiles will act as force multipliers and enable Indian warships to carry out land attacks in coastal areas.