NewDelhi: Indian Air Force is now ready to get the C-17 Globemaster III heavy-lift transport aircraft into the force. It arrived in India for induction on the 22nd January this year and underwent inspection and routine flight testing before formal induction.

Now that the tests have successfully completed, the aircraft will be formally inducted into service tomorrow by the Defence Minister A K Antony at the Hindon Air Base.

As IAFs biggest aircraft, 70-tonne C-17 heavy-lift transport beast will bolster IAF’s capability to swiftly transport combat troops and equipment such as tanks to the front.

The Defence Minister will formally induct the aircraft (being manufactured by Boeing)procured from the US under a deal expected to be over Rs. 20,000 crore into the newly-formed 81 “Skylord” Squadron here, IAF officials said here. The IAF has placed orders with the US for ten such aircraft under the deal signed in 2011 and three of them have already been delivered.