In a major decision, the Cabinet Committee on Security on Wednesday approved the procurement of 56 C-295 medium transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force to replace its aging Avro planes which were first inducted around 60 years ago.
Sixteen aircraft will be delivered in a flyaway condition by the Airbus Defense and Space of Spain within 48 months of signing the contract while the remaining 40 planes will be manufactured in India, according to the defense ministry.
- This decision would provide a major fillip to the transport fleet of Indian Air Force.
- This deal to buy the C-295MW transport aircraft will cost upwards of Rs 20,000 crore.
- First 16 of these aircraft will be delivered from Spain in flyaway condition, within 48 months of the signing of contract.
- Remaining 40 aircrafts will be manufactured in India by a consortium headed by the Tata Group in over 10 years.
- Ministry will buy the transport aircraft from Airbus Defense and Space S.A., Spain.
Significance of the deal
This is the first-of-its-kind deal in India. All the aircraft will be installed with the indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite. Thus, it is a unique initiative to strengthen indigenous capabilities. This project will boost the aerospace ecosystem in India because several MSMEs in India will be involved in the manufacturing of parts of these aircraft. This deal also provides an opportunity for the Indian private sector to enter into the technology-intensive and highly competitive aviation industry.
C-295MW aircraft?
C-295MW is a transport aircraft having a capacity of 5-10 tonnes. It also comprises contemporary technology to replace the aging Avro aircraft of the IAF. It also comprises a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para-dropping of troops and cargo.
