New Delhi: India inked Friday a nearly Rs 20,000 crore contract with Airbus Defence and Space. Through the contract, India will procure 56 C-295 transport aircraft to replace the Avro-748 planes of the IAF. This is a project under which a private company will manufacture military aircraft for the first time.
Under the agreement, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in ‘fly-away’ condition from its final assembly line in Seville, Spain. The subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India. This will be an industrial partnership between Airbus and Tata.
The chairman of Tata Trusts, Ratan Tata congratulated Airbus Defence, Tata Advanced Systems Limited and the Defence Ministry on the inking of the contract. He said it is a ‘great step’ forward in the opening up of the aviation and avionics projects in India.
In a signed statement posted on Twitter, Tata said the project will create a domestic supply chain capability to international standards. Such a type of project has never been taken up before in India, he added.
“The C-295 is a multi-role aircraft with several configurations to meet mission requirements. It envisages total manufacturing of the aircraft in India,” Tata said.
“The Tata Group congratulates Airbus and the Indian Defence Ministry for this bold step in fully building this state-of-the-art multi-role aircraft in India in support of the Make-in-India thrust to bolster the country’s equity framework,” Tata added.
The contract was signed two weeks after it was cleared by the prime minister-led Cabinet Committee on Security.
Airbus said the first 16 aircraft will be delivered over four years after the contract implementation. All the planes will be equipped with an indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite (EWS).
“This contract will support the further development of India’s aerospace ecosystem, bringing investment and 15,000 skilled direct jobs and 10,000 indirect positions over the coming 10 years,” said Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space.
“The C295 has proven again as the segment leader, and with the addition of India as a new operator, the type will enlarge its footprint even more, not only on the operational aspects but on its own industrial and technological development,” added Schoellhorn.
In a statement, Airbus said ‘Make in India’ is at the heart of its strategy in India, with the company constantly increasing the country’s contribution to its global product portfolio.
With a proven capability of operating from short or unprepared airstrips, the C295 is used for tactical transport of up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers, and for logistic operations to locations that are not accessible to current heavier aircraft, Airbus informed.
The aircraft can airdrop paratroops and loads, and also be used for casualty or medical evacuation. The aircraft is capable of performing special missions as well as disaster response and maritime patrol duties.
“The IAF becomes the 35th C295 operator worldwide, with the programme reaching 278 aircraft, 200 of which are already in operation and have booked more than half a million flight-hours,” Airbus informed.