Airbus Delivers Inaugural ‘Make in India’ C295 Aircraft to Indian Air Force

Airbus Delivers Inaugural ‘Make in India’ C295 Aircraft to Indian Air Force

(IN BRIEF) Airbus Defence and Space has officially delivered the first of 56 C295 aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), signaling the start of a process to replace the IAF’s aging Avros-748 fleet. The C295, configured for transport and equipped with indigenous electronic warfare capabilities, will soon depart Spain for India. The initial 16 aircraft will be assembled in Spain, with the remaining 40 to be produced and assembled in India as part of the “Make in India” initiative, in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL). The first Indian-made C295 is expected in September 2026, with the final delivery to the IAF scheduled for August 2031. The C295 is known for its versatility and is used for troop transport, paratrooper drops, cargo airdrops, medical evacuation, and can operate on short and unpaved runways.

(PRESS RELEASE) SEVILLE, 13-Sep-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Airbus (EPA: AIR), a European multinational aerospace corporation, announces that Airbus Defence and Space proudly announces the formal handover of the first C295 aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), marking a significant milestone in the replacement of the IAF’s aging Avros-748 fleet. This delivery, made in fly-away condition, signifies the beginning of a comprehensive fleet transformation.

The C295, configured for transport missions and equipped with an indigenous electronic warfare suite, is set to depart from Airbus’ production site in Seville, Spain, bound for Delhi, India, in the coming days. The journey will be piloted by a collaborative IAF-Airbus crew.

“It was only two years ago that we signed this contract with India, the largest order in the history of the C295,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Airbus’ Head of Military Air Systems, in a delivery ceremony held in Seville in the presence of IAF Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari.

“Today, we are enhancing the capabilities of the Indian Air Force and modernising its transport fleet by delivering the first aircraft on schedule. This is the beginning of an exciting and long-term journey with the Indian Air Force.”

Out of the total order of 56 C295 aircraft, the first 16 will be assembled at the San Pablo Sur site in Seville, Spain. The second aircraft delivery is scheduled for May 2024, followed by a steady rollout of one aircraft per month until August 2025.

The remaining 40 C295 aircraft from the IAF order will embrace the “Make in India” initiative and be manufactured and assembled in collaboration with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL). This partnership will establish a Final Assembly Line (FAL) located in Vadodara, in western India. Component production has already commenced at the Main Constituent Assembly (MCA) facility in Hyderabad, southern India. These components will be transported to the Vadodara FAL, with its expected operational readiness by November 2024.

The inaugural ‘Make in India’ C295 aircraft is anticipated to roll off the Vadodara FAL assembly line in September 2026, marking a significant achievement for the Indian aerospace industry. The final C295 aircraft in this order is scheduled for delivery to the IAF by August 2031.

With an impressive track record of 283 orders from 41 operators worldwide, the C295 is a standout leader in its segment, known for its exceptional versatility. It can accommodate up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers, perform cargo airdrops, support medical evacuation missions, and operate on short and unpaved runways.

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Media contacts:

Borja Garcia De Sola
External Communications – Airbus Defence
Phone: +34 677 92 62 42
borja.garciadesola@airbus.com

Krittivas Mukherjee
Head of Communications – Airbus India & South Asia
krittivas.mukherjee@airbus.com

SOURCE: AIRBUS