C-295 transport aircraft; country’s first in the private sector

New Delhi: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility - the country’s first in the private sector - in Vadodara, Gujarat on October 30, 2022. The facility will manufacture C-295 aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) through collaboration between Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain. This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company. The total cost of the project is Rs 21,935 crore. The aircraft can be used for civilian purposes as well.

Aircraft capability

The C-295 is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of IAF. Robust and reliable, it is a versatile and efficient tactical transport aircraft which can perform a number of different missions. The aircraft, with a flight endurance of up to 11 hours, can carry out multi-role operations under all weather conditions. It can routinely operate day as well as night combat missions from desert to maritime environments. It has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para dropping of troops and cargo. Short take-off/land from semi-prepared surfaces is another of its features.

Aatmanirbharta

The project offers a unique opportunity for the Indian private sector to enter into technology intensive and highly competitive aviation industry. It will augment domestic aviation manufacturing resulting in reduced import dependence and expected increase in exports.

Also, 96% of the total man hour work per aircraft that Airbus employs at its manufacturing facility at Spain will be undertaken in India by the TATA Consortium. Manufacturing of over 13,400 Detail Parts, 4,600 sub-assemblies and all the seven Major Component Assemblies will be undertaken in India, along with tools, jigs and testers. Various systems such as engines, landing gear, avionics, EW suite etc. will be provided by Airbus Defence & Space and integrated on the aircraft by the TATA Consortium. The aircraft will be tested as an integrated system by the TATA Consortium. The aircraft will be flight tested and delivered through a Delivery Centre at the TATA Consortium facility.

All 56 aircraft will be fitted with indigenous Electronic Warfare suite manufactured by Indian DPSUs - Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Limited. After completion of delivery of 56 aircraft to IAF, Airbus Defence & Space will be allowed to sell the aircraft manufactured in India to civil operators and export to countries which are cleared by the Government of India.

Employment Generation

The TATA Consortium has identified more than 125 in-country MSME suppliers spread over seven states. This will act as a catalyst in employment generation in the aerospace ecosystem of the country and is expected to generate 600 highly skilled jobs directly, over 3,000 indirect jobs and an additional 3,000 medium skill employment opportunities with more than 42.5 lakh man hours of work within the aerospace and defence sector of India. Nearly 240 engineers will be trained at Airbus facility in Spain.

Exhibition & other attendees

As part of the event, the Prime Minister also visited an exhibition which showcased the technological and manufacturing strides in the aerospace industry under ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. Gujarat Governor Shri Acharya Devvrat; Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia; Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel; Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan; Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari; Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar; Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation Shri Rajiv Bansal; Chairman, Tata Sons Shri N Chandrasekaran; Chief Commercial Officer, Airbus Mr Christian Scherer and industry leaders were among those who attended the event.