India to get VVIP jets soon with armed protection

New Delhi, June 12 (PTI) India will get delivery of its
three VVIP Boeing Business Jets early next month fully armed
with infra-red counter measures (IRCM) scotching speculations
that there was a hitch in their delivery.
"We anticipate that the aircraft will be delivered
shortly with all the equipment India desires," U.S. Embassy
officials said here Thursday.
Asked about the status of the delivery of the aircraft
which was scheduled for early June, officials said: "India has
contracted with Boeing for purchase of aircrafts for its
highranking officials."
"These latest technology aircrafts are the best in the
world and U.S. wants to assure India's national leadership of
the best available protection in their air travel which these
aircrafts will provide."
The three B.B.Js have been purchased at a price of over
USD 937 million and would be refurbished with another USD 40
million Large Aircraft Infra-Red Counter Measures Systems
AN/AAQ-24 LAIRCM to deflect any threat from incoming missiles.
According to Defence Ministry sources here, the pilots of
the IAF's VVIP Squadron have already undergone training on
the aircraft in U.S. and systems have been put in place at
Palam Technical Area for the operation of these business jets.
"There were minor hitches," sources said on U.S.
insistence on carrying out physical verification of the
advanced protection system installed on the planes once they
were operational in India.
These inspections are mandatory under the U.S'
contentious end-user verification law which India is yet to
sign.
After negotiations, the two countries have agreed that
the sale of the system would be directly made by the
manufacturers Northrop Grumman and the I.A.F.
Earlier, the system was sought to be procured under
government-to-government agreement through foreign military
sales, which would have mandated physical inspection by U.S.
inspectors under their country's defence export laws.
The sources said the company-to-company agreement would
do away with physical verification as the U.S. company would
take direct responsibility for the end-user clause.
The advanced LAIRCM system is installed in very few of
the aircraft as Washington is very sensitive to its transfer.
A similar system protects the Air Force One, the special
aircraft used by the U.S. President.
This will be the first aircraft in India to be armed with
such advanced sensors and counter measures. Though New Delhi
recently bought five Embraer smaller executive jets, also for
VVIP travel, they are not fitted with such systems