DefExpo22: Airbus to pitch tanker, helos
India had ordered 56 C295 transport aircraft last year

Royal Thai Air Force H225M helicopters | Photo: Anthony Pecchi/Airbus

European defence and aviation company, Airbus plans to exhibit its bids for India’s mid-air refuelling aircraft and naval helicopter requirements at DefExpo 2022 to be held in Gandhinagar next week.

Airbus’ display at the exhibition will feature models of the A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) aircraft, AS565 MBe Panther and H335M helicopters at the show.

A statement from the company quoted Rémi Maillard, President and MD, Airbus India & South Asia as saying, “As a company, Airbus brings a convincing track record of developing industrial partners in India, and we have demonstrated this in pioneering the growth of the country’s commercial aviation industrial ecosystem.”

India placed an order for 56 C295 transport aircraft in 2021 to replace the Indian Air Force (IAF) legacy AVRO fleet, ‘opening the doors to the first ‘Make in India’ aircraft manufacturing in the private sector’.

“Airbus is walking the talk on ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. Our C295 programme is a shining example of the transformational partnership and collaboration between the private and public sectors as well as MSMEs. We hope to replicate this win-win model to unlock the full value chain for helicopter manufacturing in India,” added Maillard.

Airbus said in its statement that its ‘commitment to building a robust indigenous military-industrial complex is demonstrated by the offer to set up the complete production capability for the Panther helicopter in India in partnership with the Mahindra group’.

In addition, Airbus will also display an interactive digital presentation of the S950 optical radar and S850 radar, and a model of its Eurostar 3000 satellite.

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