Second C295 Transport aircraft delivered to Indian Air Force
- In Reports
- 04:21 PM, May 04, 2024
- Myind Staff
According to officials, the Indian Air Force (IAF) received the second of the 56 C295 aircraft on Friday, marking progress in replacing its ageing Avro-748 fleet.
The acquisition of 56 Airbus C295 aircraft to replace the legacy Avro fleet of the IAF was formalized in September 2021 at a cost of Rs 21.935 crore.
In a statement, Airbus Defence and Space announced that out of the total 56 aircraft ordered by the Indian customer, 16 will be produced by Airbus in Seville, Spain.
The IAF is set to receive the remaining 40 C295 aircraft from its order, which will be manufactured and assembled in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) at a Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Gujarat's Vadodara.
Airbus Defence and Space announced the delivery of the second C295 aircraft to the Indian Air Force as part of the ongoing partnership. Out of the total 56 aircraft ordered by India, 16 will be produced by Airbus in Seville, Spain, while the remaining 40 will be manufactured in India.
This marks a significant milestone in India's aerospace sector, as the C295 aircraft will be produced under India's first-ever Make in India Aerospace program in the private sector. Historically, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has held a monopoly over the manufacture of military aircraft in the country.
The first C295 aircraft manufactured in India is expected to roll out of the Vadodara factory in September 2026, signaling a new era in domestic aircraft production.
The Indian Defence Ministry, in collaboration with Airbus Defence and Space, Spain, finalized a contract in September 2021 for the procurement of 56 C-295 aircraft to bolster the fleet of the Indian Air Force. Designed to replace the aging Avro aircraft, the C-295MW aircraft is a modern transport aircraft with a capacity of 5-10 tonnes.
Equipped with contemporary technology, the C-295 aircraft features a rear ramp door for efficient troop deployment and cargo delivery via paradropping. Under the terms of the contract, sixteen aircraft will be delivered in a flyaway condition from Spain within 45 months of signing, while the remaining forty aircraft will be manufactured in India by the TATA Consortium over a period of 10 years.
The forthcoming production of the C-295 aircraft in India is a significant step forward in the country's defense manufacturing capabilities, marking a milestone in the 'Make in India' initiative. The first domestically manufactured C-295 is slated to roll out of the Vadodara plant in September 2026, further enhancing India's self-reliance in the aerospace sector.
Image source: The Economic Times
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