What Is C295 To Be Produced In Gujarat As Modi, Spain PM Inaugurate Plant?

Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) has entered into a partnership with Airbus for a facility in Gujarat's Vadodara that will become the first private sector Final Assembly Line (FAL) plant in India for military aircraft.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez were present in Gujarat for the inauguration of the plant to produce the C295 aircraft, with the pair having laid the foundation stone for the project in October 2022.

Before being acquired by Airbus, the C295 was produced by Spanish aircraft manufacturer Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA. It is manufactured at Airbus' plant in Spain.

India had signed a Rs 21,935 crore deal with Airbus Defence and Space in September 2021 for the procurement of 56 C295 aircraft to replace the Indian Air Force's (IAF) outdated Avro-748 planes, which were introduced into service in the early 1960s. Under the deal, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in 'fly-away' condition from its assembly line in Spain's Seville within four years. The remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured by TASL in India under an industrial partnership between the two firms.

The first 16 C295s were to be delivered between Spetember 2023 and August 2025. The IAF received the first one on September 13, 2023 in Spain. Meanwhile, the first Made-in-India C295 aircraft will be ready by September 2026 and the remaining 39 will be produced by August 2031.

Following the completion of the delivery, Airbus Defence and Space will gain rights to sell the aircraft manufactured in India to civil operators and export to countries cleared by the Government of India.

Having a maximum speed of 480 kmph, the C295MW is a transport aircraft with a capacity of five to 10 tonnes. To facilitate quick reaction and para-dropping of troops and cargo, the aircraft has a rear ramp door. It also has features like short take-off and landing from semi-prepared surfaces.

Airbus released its technical specifications which mentions that the C295 aircraft has a cabin dimension of 12.7 metres or 41 feet and eight inches. According to the company, the aircraft has the longest unobstructed cabin in its class and can accommodate 71 seats. The company further claims that the C295 can carry more cargo than its competitors with direct offloading through the rear ramp.

Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Limited will develop the indigenous electronic warfare suite that will be fitted on all 56 aircrafts. India's former defence secretary Ajay Kumar said that the indigenous content in the plane will be the highest ever in India, and that 96 per cent of Airbus' work to produce the plane in Spain will be done at the Vadodara manufacturing unit.

According to Airbus, the C295 has operated in the Brazilian jungles and Columbian mountains in South America, the deserts of Algeria and Jordan in the Middle East and the cold climates of Poland and Finland in Europe. It has also been part of military operations in Chad, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The C295 is capable of carrying troops and logistical supplies from main airfields to forward operating airfields of the country. With its capabilities, it can operate on short unprepared airstrips about 2,200 feet long and can fly low-level operations for tactical missions flying at low speeds of 110 knots, as per Airbus.

Additionally, the C295 can be used for casualty or medical evacuation, performing special missions, disaster response and maritime patrol duties.

Also Read: Tata Aircraft Complex Launched: India Set to Deliver First Airbus C295 in Two Years