SEVILLE, SPAIN- Today, on September 13, 2023, Airbus Defence and Space delivers the first of 56 C295 aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in ready-to-fly condition. This marks the commencement of the process to replace the aging Avros-748 fleet used by the IAF.
The C295, configured for transport and equipped with an indigenous electronic warfare suite, will soon depart from Airbus’ production facility in Seville, Spain, heading to Delhi, India. The journey will be undertaken by a joint crew consisting of members from the IAF and Airbus.
Airbus Delivers C295 to IAF
Jean-Brice Dumont, Airbus’ Head of Military Air Systems, remarked, “It was only two years ago that we signed this contract with India, which happens to be the largest order in the history of the C295.”
He made this statement during a delivery ceremony held in Seville, attended by IAF Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari.
“Today, we are enhancing the capabilities of the Indian Air Force and modernizing its transport fleet by delivering the first aircraft on schedule. This marks the beginning of an exciting and long-term partnership with the Indian Air Force.”
Dumont added
The initial 16 out of the 56 ordered C295s will be assembled at the San Pablo Sur site in Seville, Spain. The second aircraft is scheduled for delivery in May 2024, followed by the subsequent 14, which will be rolled out at a rate of one per month until August 2025.
Tata to Made it In India
In order to strengthen India’s self-sufficiency in the defense manufacturing sector, the remaining 40 C295 aircraft from the IAF’s order will be produced and assembled in collaboration with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) at a Final Assembly Line (FAL) located in Vadodara, in the western region of India.
Production of components for these aircraft has already commenced at the Main Constituent Assembly (MCA) facility in Hyderabad, situated in southern India.
These components will be transported to the Vadodara FAL, which is anticipated to become operational by November 2024.
The inaugural ‘Make in India’ C295 aircraft is slated to emerge from the Vadodara FAL in September 2026, marking a significant milestone for the Indian aerospace industry.
The final aircraft is expected to be delivered to the Indian Air Force by August 2031.
With a total of 283 orders from 41 operators, the C295 is unequivocally the leader in its category, recognized for its versatility.
It has the capacity to carry up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers, perform airdrop cargo missions, facilitate medical evacuations, and operate from short and unpaved runways.
C295: MRO, Manufacturing, and Orders
The first batch of six pilots has successfully completed their training in Spain, while the initial group of IAF aircraft engineers is currently undergoing training to perform maintenance tasks on the C-295 fleet stationed at 10 operational bases.
The IAF has entered into a five-year Performance-Based Logistics (PBL) agreement with Airbus, binding the company to maintain an 85 percent operational readiness for the fleet at any given time.
This ensures that 85 percent of the fleet is operationally ready and not waiting for servicing or spare parts.
While the IAF has already ordered 56 C-295 aircraft capable of carrying cargo up to 9 tonnes, Airbus and TATA are in talks with the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard for the potential procurement of up to 15 additional aircraft. Subsequently, nine of these are planned for maritime surveillance deployment.
Reports suggest that the Border Security Force (BSF), which also operates Avros, is exploring the option of procuring C-295 aircraft. Additionally, another security agency is considering the use of the aircraft for technical surveillance purposes.
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