When will IAF have the first C-295 medium tactical transport aircraft made in the country?
The C-295 will enhance the IAF's ability to transport troops and cargo to remote and semi-prepared airstrips, featuring an indigenous Electronic Warfare suite and versatile mission capabilities
The Indian Air Force is expected to receive its first domestically manufactured C-295 transport aircraft within the next month or two, marking a significant milestone in the country's defense manufacturing sector. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh confirmed that production is underway for this seventeenth aircraft in the fleet, which is being built locally through a partnership between Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited.
The Indian Air Force is expected to receive its first domestically manufactured C-295 transport aircraft within the next month or two, marking a significant milestone in the country's defense manufacturing sector. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh confirmed that production is underway for this seventeenth aircraft in the fleet, which is being built locally through a partnership between Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited.
The Indian Air Force is expected to receive its first domestically manufactured C-295 transport aircraft within the next month or two, marking a significant milestone in the country's defense manufacturing sector. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh confirmed that production is underway for this seventeenth aircraft in the fleet, which is being built locally through a partnership between Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) could receive its first India-made C-295 medium tactical transport aircraft in the next one or two months, according to Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh.
The IAF chief said the aircraft, which will be the 17th C-295 in the fleet and the first to be manufactured in India, is already in production. However, a few minor issues remain to be resolved before it can be delivered.
"The 17th aircraft, the very first aircraft to be made in India, is already in production. There are some minor issues, which are getting resolved; hopefully it will come up in a month or two," Singh said recently.
The delivery will mark a major milestone in India's Rs 21,935-crore C-295 programme, which aims to replace the IAF's ageing Avro-748 transport aircraft and strengthen its tactical airlift capabilities.
Under the agreement signed in September 2021, India is procuring 56 C-295 aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space. The first 16 aircraft are to be delivered in fly-away condition from Airbus's final assembly line in Seville, Spain, while the remaining 40 will be manufactured and assembled in India by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) under an industrial partnership between the two companies.
The first C-295 was inducted into the IAF in September 2023. The initial 16 aircraft were scheduled to be delivered by 2025, while deliveries of all 56 aircraft are to be completed within ten years of the contract's signing.
The aircraft manufactured in India can also be exported to countries approved by the Government of India.
How will the C-295 strengthen the IAF?
The induction of the C-295MW is expected to significantly enhance the IAF's tactical airlift capabilities, particularly in the Northern and North-Eastern sectors and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The aircraft has a transport capacity in the 5-10 tonne category and is designed to operate from semi-prepared airstrips. Its rear ramp door allows rapid deployment and paradropping of troops and cargo, making it suitable for a range of tactical transport missions.
The C-295 can carry up to eight tonnes of payload or as many as 70 troops and has a maximum cruise speed of 260 knots.
Apart from transporting troops and cargo, the aircraft is designed for maritime patrol, airborne warning, surveillance and reconnaissance, signals intelligence, armed close air support, medical evacuation, VIP transport and airborne firefighting.
All 56 aircraft will also be equipped with an indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite.