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Delay in upgrading AN-32 grounded half of fleet: CAG
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 22
The IAF’s tactical airlift capability was seriously compromised for several years, with more than half of the AN-32 fleet being grounded after 2009 because of delays in setting up upgradation facilities despite Rs 272 crore being spent on the project.

As many as 61 aircraft of the total 105 in service were grounded as of 2013. The facilities for upgradation and modernisation of the AN-32, which were to be set up at Base Repair Depot, Kanpur, by 2011, have not been completed. This has been revealed by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its latest report tabled yesterday.

The IAF had acquired the AN-32 from the erstwhile Soviet Union between1984 and 1991 and, depending upon the year of induction, the total technical life (TTL) of the aircraft began expiring from 2009. In 2006, the IAF initiated a case for extension of TTL of the aircraft from 25 to 40 years.

The IAF initially recommended life extension and re-equipment of part of the fleet and only life extension on the remaining aircraft. Five aircraft were to be sent abroad between 2009 and 2013 and the remaining aircraft were to be upgraded in India through transfer of technology (ToT). The cost of ToT was Rs 272 crore.

As the life of 75 aircraft (71 per cent of the fleet) was due to expire between 2009 and 2012, Air Headquarters changed its plan and decided in December 2006 to re-equip the entire fleet of 105 aircraft. Under the revised proposal, IAF wanted to send 40 aircraft abroad and upgrade the remaining 65 in India. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) concluded a contract in June 2009 with a Ukrainian firm at a cost of Rs 1,964.64 crore for life extension, re-equipment and overhaul of the aircraft.

The first batch of five of the 40 aircraft was to be positioned at the vendor’s premises by November 2009 with upgradation complete by August 2010. However, the aircraft reached there in March 2010 and were done up in May 2011. By December 2013, 20 of the remaining 35 aircraft had been upgraded.

For life extension and re-equipment of the remaining 65 aircraft, the setting up of facilities at the BRD was to have been completed by June 2011. However, the project remained incomplete till the end of 2013.

“Even though the IAF knew that the existing total technical life of the aircraft would expire from February 2009 onwards and the process of life extension would take almost four to five years based on the past experience, the initiation of the proposal was ab-initio delayed by the IAF,” the CAG observed.

Pointing out that the life extension project scheduled for completion in June 2011 was yet to be completed, thereby depriving the IAF of the benefit of investing Rs 272 crore, the CAG pointed out that the MoD had failed to justify the delay in conclusion of the contract despite adopting the stipulated procedures to cater to the urgency. The MoD had maintained that the project had got delayed due to non supply of certain spares for re-equipment.