Medium transport aircraft will replace IAF AN-32, IL-76 fleets.

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to procure a medium transport aircraft (MTA) in the 18-30 tonne category to replace the aging AN-32 and IL-76 transport aircraft fleet.
• The AN-32 is the IAF’s workhorse with over 100 aircraft in service, while the IL-76 has over 40-tonne load capacity.
• The IAF issued a Request for Information (RFI) for an MTA in December 2022, with a load carrying capacity between 18 tonnes and 30 tonnes for up to 80 aircraft.
• The MTA fits a critical requirement of the Army, which is looking to procure a light tank weighing up to 25 tonnes for deployment in the mountains, especially in Eastern Ladakh.