Aero India Show News

On February 14, Boeing unveiled its 2022 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) for India, forecasting long-term passenger growth rate of nearly seven per cent annually through 2041.

Largely driven by the strength of the domestic market, which has recovered to 98 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, India’s traffic has transitioned from recovery to growth. As a result, Indian airlines will add 7 per cent more supply in the first half of 2023, compared to 2019. Due to the rapid growth of its domestic traffic, Boeing forecasts that 90 per cent of new airplane deliveries to India will be for single-aisle airplanes like the 737 MAX over the next 20 years. India will require approximately 2,210 new airplanes over the next two decades of which 1,983 units will be for single-aisle jets, while 227 units or 10 per cent of new airplane deliveries will be for widebody airplanes.

“The Indian market is recovery rapidly and its domestic capacity has exceeded 2019 levels, with domestic traffic expected to double by the end of this decade,” said Dave Schulte, Boeing Commercial Marketing managing director for Asia Pacific. “Indian carriers will outpace global growth at nearly 7 per cent and more than 80 per cent of new airplane deliveries to this market will be for growth, while 20 per cent of new airplanes will be for replacement of aging jets. This trend exemplifies India’s commitment to modernizing its fleet with more sustainable and fuel-efficient next-generation airplanes.”

In addition, the India cargo market will also continue to expand over the next two decades to meet demand. The cargo fleet will grow from about 15 airplanes today to about 80 airplanes by 2041. These will predominantly be the converted narrow-body sized aircraft to support domestic and regional growth, as well as a number of production and conversion widebody freighters to support global operations.

The 2022 India and South Asia CMO includes these projections through 2041:

• Demand for 1,983 single-aisle and 227 widebody airplanes to support robust domestic growth as well as long-haul traffic demand.
• Demand for commercial services to support fleet replacement valued at USD135 billion.

B-1B Lancer Heavy Bombers Return to Aero India, Underscoring US-India Strategic Partnership

On February 14, the United States Air Force (USAF) expanded its lineup for Aero India 2023 with the arrival of two B-1B Lancers after a journey to India from their temporary duty location at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

The B-1B Lancer, a supersonic heavy bomber, is capable of carrying out missions worldwide from its bases in the United States, as well as from forward deployed locations.  It carries the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the USAF and is considered the backbone of America’s long-range bomber force.

The B-1B landed in India for the first time on 3 February 2021 and conducted a fly-by on the inaugural day of Aero India 2021, escorted by an Indian Air Force Tejas fighter. Commonly called the ‘Bone’ (for ‘B-one’), the return of the long-range, supersonic, heavy bomber to India to participate in Aero India 2023 underscores the importance the United States places on the growing strategic partnership with India.

Major General Julian C. Cheater, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, said, “The B-1 offers flexible options to senior leaders and combatant commanders. Greater integration with our Allies and partners throughout the region is a positive step towards greater interoperability.”

Rear Admiral Michael Baker, Senior Defence Official and Defence Attaché at the US Embassy in New Delhi, said, “We are happy to have the B1 in India for the second time. These bombers made the journey from South Dakota to Guam and then to India just to add another exciting dimension to Aero India ‘23. It’s a long mission to travel from the continental US to the Indian Ocean; but it was worth it to be part of the biggest air show in the region hosted by our major defence partner, India. The US and India continue to deepen defence cooperation. We have two great militaries that are even better when we work together.”

List of US Military Aircraft at Aero India 2023

•  B-1B L