According to defence analyst Air Marshal (retd) Ashok Goel, the inflight refuelling capability is standard worldwide now and it would, in fact, cost more to remove it than to have it while acquiring and inducting new aircraft.
All NATO and US aerial assets, for instance, are equipped with midair or in-flight refuelling capability and in the Gulf and Afghanistan operations, aircraft were able to conduct multi-mission strikes during single flights.
"This in-flight refuelling capability," Air Marshal Goel told India Strategic, "literally has far-reaching implications, enabling modern aircraft to cover long distances 360 degrees."
Thanks to the IAF's Il-78 midair refuellers, its Su-30 combat aircraft have gone up to the US in 2008 to take part in the multi-national Red Flag exercise, and will again do so in 2013, he said.
