In news– The Prime Minister of India has laid the foundation stone for the C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility at Vadodara, Gujarat.
About the manufacturing facility-
- The C-295 Aircraft Manufacturing Facility will be the first aircraft manufacturing facility in the private sector in the country.
- This facility will be utilised for manufacturing 40 C-295 aircrafts for the Indian Air Force, through collaboration between Tata Advanced Systems Limited(TASL) and Airbus Defence and Space, Spain.
- The C-295 will replace the Avro aircraft in service with IAF.
- The IAF has 56 Avro transport aircraft procured in the 1960s and in urgent need of replacement.
- In September 2021, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a ₹21,935 crore deal with Airbus Defence and Space, Spain for the procurement of 56 C-295MW aircraft.
- This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India under technology transfer by the private sector.
- The C-295 is an aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity used for tactical transport of up to 71 passengers or 50 paratroopers, and for logistic operations to locations that are not accessible to current heavier aircraft and has a proven capability of operating from short or unprepared airstrips.
- Of the 56 aircraft contracted, 16 will come in fly-away condition between September 2023 and August 2025.
- The first of 40, Made in India aircraft is expected from September 2026 and completed by 2031 at the rate of eight aircraft per year.
- With this, India will become the 35th C295 operator worldwide.
Source: PIB
