Indian Air Force (IAF) will receive its first C-295 transport aircraft today. The plane was made by Airbus at a facility in Seville. Indian Air Force IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari will receive the aircraft on behalf of India in Spain. The C-295 transport plane is part of the 2021 contract that India signed for 56 such aircraft. Of these 56 aircraft, 16 will be made in Spain and the remaining 40 will be manufactured in Gujarat’s Vadodara as part of the joint venture between Tata and Airbus.
Let’s take a look at 5 features of the C-295 transport plane:
– C-295MW aircraft possess a capacity of 5-10 tonnes (which means it can carry around 70 soldiers). The plane will replace the aging Avro aircraft of the Indian Air Force IAF.
– For quick reaction and para-dropping troops and cargo, the aircraft also carries a rear ramp door.
– An indigenous electronic warfare suite will be installed in all 56 aircraft in this contract.
Under the deal, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in ‘fly-away’ condition from its final assembly line in Seville by 2025 and the subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies.
In October last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the manufacturing facility for 295 planes in Vadodara.
In May, the first C295 aircraft built for India successfully completed its maiden flight in Seville. The second one is in the final assembly at the Seville facility and is scheduled to be delivered to the Indian Air Force IAF in May next year.
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