The first Indian Air Force C-295 | Source: Airbus Defence and Space
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has taken delivery of the first Airbus C-295 transport aircraft in Seville in Spain. A statement issued by Airbus Defence and Space said, ‘The C295, in transport configuration and with an indigenous electronic warfare suite, will leave Airbus’ production site in Seville, Spain, for Delhi, India, in the next few days, piloted by a joint IAF-Airbus crew.’
Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, who was present at the occasion said, “On behalf of the entire Indian Air Force, I would like to first of all compliment Airbus Defence and Space for the timely production of the first aircraft,” adding, “I’m pleased to note that the delivery of the first aircraft has been ahead of schedule by 10 days.”
“Upon completion of the contracted aircraft delivery, the Indian Air Force would be the largest operator of the C-295 in the world, while operating approximately 20% of all the C-295s in the world. So I’m quite hopeful that even this number may increase in the future,” remarked Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari.
Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari, at the delivery of the first C-295 aircraft at Seville, Spain | Source: Airbus Defence and Space
The aircraft is the first aircraft in an order for 56 aircraft that are intended to replace the IAF’s ageing fleet of Avro 748 transport aircraft. The company’s statement quoted Jean-Brice Dumont, Airbus’ Head of Military Air Systems, as saying, “It was only two years ago that we signed this contract with India, the largest order in the history of the C295.”
According to Airbus, ‘The first 16 C295s of the 56 aircraft on order will be assembled at the San Pablo Sur site in Seville, Spain, with the second aircraft due to be delivered in May 2024 and the next 14 rolled out at a rate of one per month until August 2025.’
Airbus also set up a Final Assembly Line (FAL) in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in Vadodara in India, last year, to assemble the rest of the 40 C-295 aircraft.
The statement said, ‘The production of components of these aircraft has already started in the Main Constituent Assembly (MCA) facility in Hyderabad, southern India. These parts will be shipped to the Vadovara FAL, which is expected to be operational by November 2024.’
“The onboard systems developed by Indian industry, particularly the RWR developed by Bharat Electronics Limited and the CMDS from BDL are testimony to the indigenous defence capability of India that has been integrated so well on the C295. It has been validated and tested here in Spain. I’m confident that as for the contract, Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus Defence and Space will be able to complete the manufacturing of 40 aircraft in a timely manner,” said Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari.
Airbus says ‘the first ‘Make in India’ C295 will roll out of the Vadodara FAL in September 2026’ and ‘the final aircraft expected to be delivered to the IAF by August 2031.’
Take a walk around a Portuguese Air Force Airbus C-295 aircraft in this video from the Paris Air Show 2015.
