Indian Air Force takes the delivery of first C-295 transport aircraft

The Indian Air Force took the delivery of C-295 transport aircraft at Seville in Spain.  Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari was present at the ceremony to take the delivery of the transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space on Wednesday.

This was the first out the total contract of 56 planes  placed by the defence ministry for $2.5 billion.  It took 2 years for the delivery of the first aircraft from the 56. The defence ministry placed the order in September 2021.  This aircraft is ready to fly to India later this month, where it will get a formal Induction ceremony at Hindon Airbase.

Out of these 56, 16 will be delivered by Airbase till 2025 and the remaining will be assembled in India by TASL at Vadodara, Gujarat.

Tata Advanced Systems Limited(TASL) is jointly working with Airbus Defence and Space.  The second aircraft of the series is Tata facility  at the final stages of assembly at Airbus’s Seville facility. This one is expected to be delivered by May 2024.

Out of these 56, 16 will be delivered by Airbase till 2025 and the remaining will be assembled in India by TASL till August 31.  These aircrafts will replace the ageing Avro-748 planes which first entered in service in 1960s.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Vadodara Manufacturing Facility in October 2022.  This aircraft, C-295 will be the first military aircraft manufactured in India by a private consortium. This will make India the largest  operator of V-295.

Within the framework of the C-295 India project, the production of over 13,000 components, 4,600 subassemblies, and all significant component assemblies will be undertaken within the country. It's worth noting that specific equipment such as engines, landing gear, and avionics will be supplied by Airbus and subsequently integrated into the aircraft. The tactical airlifter is driven by two Pratt & Whitney PW127G turboprop engines.

The C-295 contract encompasses performance-based logistics support for a span of five years, the provision of spare parts across ten operational bases over a ten-year period, ground support, test equipment, and comprehensive training, as relayed by officials.

The C-295 boasts the capability to transport payloads of up to 9 tonnes, accommodate 71 personnel, or carry 45 paratroopers. It attains a maximum speed of 480 kmph and can operate from short or unprepared airstrips, featuring a rear ramp designed for para dropping troops and cargo.

Also Read-1 soldier, 1 brave dog and 2 terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir

OTT India updates you with the latest news, The Country’s no.1 digital news platform OTT India, Keeps you updated with national, and international news from all around the world. For more such updates, download the OTT India app on your Android and IOS device.