Air India one for Air Travel by VVIPS

On October 1, 2020, the first of the two Boeing 777-300ER aircraft that had been procured by Air India to replace the two-decade old Boeing 747 that have been and are currently being used for long haul flights by the three VVIPs of the nation – the President, Vice President and Prime Minister, landed in the afternoon at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi. The aircraft with the call sign “Air India One” flew in directly from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in the state of Texas in the United States (US). It was a non-stop flight of 13,000 km, after the modifications that were required to render these platforms fit for undertaking VVIP flights were complete. Actually, the two aircraft were scheduled to arrive on August 25 this year; but the delivery schedule has got delayed due to lockdown-related restrictions in the US. The second aircraft after the required modification, is expected to be delivered later this month.

THE PLATFORM

The Boeing 777 is a wide-body airliner that was developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The aircraft is powered by two GE90-115BL, the world’s most powerful jet engines, delivering maximum thrust of 1,15,300 lbs. The aircraft can fly 17 hours non-stop and cover long-distance routes such as from India to the US without a refuelling halt thus matching the capability of the Boeing 747 in performance. The Boeing 777 was designed essentially to bridge the gap between Boeing 767 and Boeing 747 as also to replace the older DC-10 airliner. The programme to develop this new platform was launched on October 14, 1990 with a first order from United Airlines. The prototype was rolled out on April 9, 1994 and it undertook its maiden flight on June 12, 1994. The aircraft entered commercial service with United Airlines on June 7, 1995. Longer range variants were launched on February 29, 2000 and were first delivered on April 29, 2004.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR VVIP FLIGHTS

So far, Air India had been undertaking commitments related to long distance VVIP flights; but with the induction of the Boeing 777, the responsibility for such commitments will shift to the Indian Air Force (IAF). Although Air India will continue to have the two aircraft on its inventory and hence ownership of this new induction, the two Boeing 777 will be operated by Air Headquarters Communication Squadron located at Palam airport. This Squadron has been established specifically for providing air travel for VIPs and VVIPs by IAF aircraft specially inducted for this purpose. Two pilots of the Air Headquarters Communication Squadron have already been trained on the Boeing 777 by Air India and more are currently undergoing training.

The Air Headquarters Communication Squadron will commence VVIP flights with the newly inducted aircraft from September 2021. This much time would be required for training of aircrew and maintenance personnel as also to have in place all standard operating procedures in respect of operation and maintenance of the aircraft. As the Boeing 777 would be retained on the inventory of Air India, the operating Squadron will continue to use the call sign “Air India One”. Also, providing maintenance services for the two aircraft will be the responsibility of Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), which is a subsidiary of the Indian national carrier. As and when Air India is privatised or sold off, the two Boeing 777 aircraft will, in the fitness of things, be transferred to the inventory of the IAF and consequently, it will only be appropriate that the call sign too is changed to “Air Force One”.

The Air Headquarters Communication Squadron will commence VVIP flights with the two Boeing 777 aircraft from September 2021

Air Headquarters Communication Squadron currently has three Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) based on the Boeing 737 that were acquired in 2009. In addition, the Squadron has four Embraer Legacy Business Jets whose acquisition commenced on September 21, 2005 with three aircraft being handed over in the first lot. The fourth aircraft for the Squadron arrived a few months later. Both these platforms cater only for short distance flights limiting their operation to within the boundaries of the nation or at best, to neighbouring countries. The Boeing 777 on the other hand, will be capable of operating non-stop over ultra-long distances thereby facilitating VVIP flights to any and every part of the world.

ATTRIBUTES OF THE BOEING 777-300ER

Air India had placed orders with Boeing in 2006 for 15 Boeing 777-300ERs along with several other platforms. Three Boeing 777-300s were delivered by Boeing to Air India in January 2018 of which two were sent back to the Boeing facility in Dallas in the US for modification and refurbishing. The total financial burden for the government which includes cost of the aircraft and retrofitting, has been estimated to be around 8,400 crore.

Albeit a little smaller in size than the Boeing 747, the Boeing 777 acquired by India will serve as an “Office in the Sky” for the VVIP on board

The Boeing 777 inducted into Air Headquarters Communication Squadron of the IAF for air travel by VVIPs in India, will be as advanced and sophisticated as the Boeing 747 that is currently used to fly the President of the US. Albeit a little smaller in size than the Boeing 747, the Boeing 777 acquired by India will serve as an “Office in the Sky” for the VVIP on board. It has a conference room with secure communication facilities by way of mobile and satellite phone connectivity. As for security in flight, it matches the “Air Force One” that flies the US President.

The Boeing 777 is equipped with Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) to provide protection against electronic threats to the aircraft when in flight. It has its own state-of-the-art missile defence system called the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) Self-Protection Suites (SPS). These protection systems are capable of countering missile threats fired at it from the ground or from an aerial platform as this system is capable of jamming enemy radar frequencies and divert heat-seeking missiles by interfering with their guidance systems. All these systems are capable of intercepting missile systems without the need for any intervention by the crew on board. It is quite clear that the primary focus of the Boeing 777 has been on security of the aircraft in flight.

Induction of the Boeing 777 will thus significantly enhance the operational capability of Air Headquarters Communication Squadron to unprecedented levels.