Narendra Modi, India's Prime Minister, will celebrate his 72nd birthday on September 17, 2022. PM Narendra Modi was the first Indian prime leader to fly on the ultra-advanced and safe Boeing 777 VVIP aircraft, which was recently procured to replace the ageing Air India Boeing 747, which was previously used for official travel by the Prime Minister and President of India.
On October 1, 2020, India will receive the VVIP Boeing 777-300 ER pair. The jet takes Prime Minister Narendra Modi on official visits to other countries. Here's a look at some of India's most secure aircraft, which are flown by IAF pilots and maintained by Air India.
- The Boeing 777 aeroplane has modern electronic warfare suites, as well as its own missile defence system dubbed the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM), which can neutralise missile threats.
- This is the first Indian aircraft to be outfitted with Self-Protection Suits (SPS), which can block enemy radar signals as well as redirect the trajectory of surrounding missiles. - It has an advanced communication technology that allows voice and video communication functions to be used in mid-air without being hacked.
- The aeroplane has a meeting area, a cabin for VVIP passengers, a medical facility, and seats for other dignitaries and employees. This aircraft can fly continuously for 17 hours after being refuelled.
- The new aircraft is labelled 'Air India One' with the Ashok Emblem on one side and 'Bharat' in Hindi and 'INDIA' in English on the other. The tail is also decorated with the National Flag, tricolour.
- The American-made aircraft was purchased from Boeing in the United States for a hefty Rs 1200 crore. - The two new planes will be maintained by Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), a subsidiary of the Indian national airline. A crew of 40 Air India pilots has been trained to operate the state-of-the-art VVIP jets alongside IAF pilots.
- The new Boeing 777 will be as sophisticated as the US President's Air Force One Boeing 747.