New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) received its first C-295 transport aircraft on Wednesday, manufactured by Airbus in Seville, Spain. IAF Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari received the aircraft on behalf of India. This acquisition is part of the 2021 contract India inked for 56 C-295 aircraft, with 16 being produced in Spain and the remaining 40 manufactured in Vadodara, Gujarat, as part of the Tata and Airbus joint venture.
Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, upon receiving the first C-295 transport aircraft from Airbus in Spain, expressed his sentiments, stating, “It is a major milestone not only for IAF but for the whole country. This is for two reasons – first, for IAF it improves our tactical airlift capabilities. For a nation, it marks the beginning of a new era. For Atmanirbhar Bharat, after the first 16 aircraft roll out from this plant, the 17th aircraft onwards will be made in India. It’s a big step for the Indian aviation industry where we will be manufacturing the first military transport aircraft in the country…”
#WATCH | @IAF_MCC chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on receiving delivery of the first C-295 transport aircraft from Airbus in #Spain.
"It is a major milestone not only for IAF but for the whole country. This is for two reasons – first, for IAF it improves our tactical… pic.twitter.com/qDFoua6JkV
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) September 13, 2023
Let’s delve into five notable features of the C-295 transport plane:
– C-295MW aircraft boasts a substantial cargo capacity of 5-10 tonnes, equivalent to approximately 70 soldiers. This aircraft is slated to replace the aging Avro aircraft within the IAF’s fleet.
– The aircraft comes equipped with a rear ramp door, facilitating swift reactions and para-dropping of troops and cargo.
– An indigenous electronic warfare suite will be integrated into all 56 aircraft included in this contract.
– The inclusion of C-295 aircraft will significantly enhance the Air Force’s capabilities, particularly in terms of its ability to operate on short runways. It requires just 670 meters of runway for take-off and a mere 320 meters for landing. This feature enables the C-295 to deliver crucial supplies to remote and hilly regions that were previously challenging to access.
– The C-295 boasts an impressive flight endurance of approximately 11 hours, cruising at a speed of around 480 kilometers per hour.
Notably, this project marks the first instance of military aircraft being built in India, aligning with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-Reliant India Campaign). Furthermore, this contract is expected to reduce import dependency while fostering domestic aviation manufacturing.