Indian Air Force Gets First C295 Aircraft
The record-setting order is for 56 such aeroplanes.
About two years ago, Airbus Defence and Space bagged the order for 56 C295 aircraft from the Indian Air Force (IAF). The first of the lot has been handed over, in fly-away condition, by the aircraft manufacturer to IAF, which is beginning to upgrade its transport fleet by replacing the ageing Avros-748 planes. The C295, packed with an electronic warfare suite, will leave Airbus’ San Pablo Sur manufacturing site in Seville, Spain, for Delhi, India, in a few days. It will be piloted by a joint IAF-Airbus crew.
The first 16 units of the C295 will be assembled at the same Airbus facility mentioned above. The second aircraft is due for delivery in May 2024, while the following 14 will be rolled out at the rate of one every month until August 2025.
The remaining 40 C295s will be manufactured and assembled at a Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Vadodara, Gujarat, India. These will be made in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited. According to Airbus Defence and Space, the first made-in-India C295 will leave the Vadodara FAL in September 2026, while the final specimen is expected to be delivered to IAF by August 2031.
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Another location will also play a vital role in the manufacturing and assembly of the C295 in India. The production of these aircraft components is already underway in the Main Constituent Assembly (MCA) facility in Hyderabad, Telangana. These parts will be shipped to the Vadodara FAL, which will likely go operational by November next year.
Airbus Defence and Space has received 283 orders from 41 operators for the C295. That demand makes it the leader in its segment. It can ferry up to 71 troops or 50 paratroops and airdrop cargo. The C295 can also be used for medical evacuation missions. Another ace up its sleeve is the ability to take off and land on short and unpaved runways.
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