The Indian Air Force will receive its first Airbus C295 military transport aircraft in September, the first of 16 that the European conglomerate will build in southern Spain while rapidly expanding its partnership with Tata Group to build another 40 at a sprawling new factory in Vadodara beginning in 2026.
First Airbus C295 Transport Aircraft In September
The first batch of Indian C295 pilots has finished their training in Seville, Spain. Meanwhile, the Airbus C295 training facility in Agra recently had its groundbreaking ceremony. Will be ready by the end of next year
The deal for 56 aircraft, signed by India in October 2021, is the country’s first private-sector-led aircraft manufacturing enterprise. So far, the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has had a complete monopoly on military aircraft manufacturing.
Also read: IAF Pilots Completes Training Of Airbus C-295 Transport Aircraft
The Air Force relies heavily on transport aircraft to transfer personnel, weapons, fuel, and material across great distances throughout the country and abroad. While the Airbus C295 will handle lighter cargoes, the IAF still has American C-130J Super Hercules planes in the middle category and the massive C-17 Globemaster III for exceptionally heavy loads.
In addition to preparing for the delivery of the first Airbus C295 aircraft, an initial batch of Indian Air Force pilots has finished flight training and will soon be replaced by a second group. The Indian pilots are all qualified on the IAF’s current British vintage HS748 Avros, which the Airbus C295 planes would directly replace, as well as workhorse Ukrainian Antonov An-32s, which the Airbus C295 might potentially replace in the future.
Also read: All About Airbus C-295 Aircraft Being Manufactured By Tata And Airbus
Airbus C295: Made in India
Tata’s Hyderabad facility will fabricate and churn out major sections of the aircraft, which will then be transported to Vadodara, where each Airbus C295 will be fitted with engines and electronics and delivered to the IAF at a maximum rate of a dozen aircraft per year beginning in late 2024. While the percentage of Indian components in the aircraft increases with each delivery, aircraft No.32 will be the closest to being a wholly Indian Airbus C295.
Also read: India’s First C-295 Aircraft Successfully Completes Its Inaugural Flight In Spain
While the Airbus C295 fleet will inevitably operate from multiple air bases, the aircraft will be based in Vadodara at first. In March, IAF officials and Airbus representatives held a bhoomi puja ceremony at the Agra air base for the C295 crew training centre, which is expected to be operational by late 2024.
The IAF C295s being built in Spain also include a number of critical Indian components, such as radar and missile warning systems supplied by state-owned Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and a counter-measure distribution system supplied by Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL). The first aircraft flew on May 8, with these systems fully integrated, and the second aircraft is in final assembly.
Also read: First Look At The First C-295 Transport Aircraft Of India
Airbus will deliver seven aircraft in 2024 and the remaining eight in 2025. A year later, the first Made-in-India C295 will be ready, ensuring a consistent supply stream until 2023.
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