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IAF likely to get 'flying tankers' with Vajpayee as PM

The Indian Air Force may acquire 'flying tankers' to facilitate mid-air refuelling for its fighter planes with a Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government at the helm.

According to the BJP's election-eve announcements on national security, the party was committed to increasing the radius of power projection by inducting appropriate force multipliers such as air-to-air refuellers.

There has been talk about the acquisition of mid-air refuellers, popularly known as 'flying tankers,' after the induction of the Russian-built Sukhoi-30 warplanes. This would significantly boost the IAF's capability.

The Sukhoi-30 is said to be able to stay airborne for about 10 hours. Its operational range, without mid-air refuelling, is understood to be up to 3,000 kilometres. With one refuelling this would go up to 5,200 km.

The BJP has said India could not remain oblivious to the new developments in weapon technology and the induction of very advanced conventional weapons systems in the region by other powers -- these must be neutralised.

UNI

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