In a historic moment, the Indian Air Force (IAF) welcomed its inaugural C-295 medium tactical transport aircraft. The induction ceremony, graced by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, and other esteemed military dignitaries, took place at Ghaziabad.
The C-295, a cutting-edge creation by Airbus, represents a paradigm shift in tactical transport capabilities. Its multifaceted design caters to a wide spectrum of missions, encompassing troop and cargo transport, maritime patrol, signals intelligence, and medical evacuation.
This aircraft boasts an impressive payload capacity, capable of ferrying up to nine tonnes of cargo or accommodating 71 troops, all while cruising at a top speed of 260 knots.
The journey to this milestone began with a monumental ₹21,935-crore deal between India and Airbus Defence and Space. The agreement, facilitating the replacement of the aging Avro-748 fleets, involves the delivery of the initial 16 aircraft directly from Airbus’s Seville assembly line by 2025. Subsequently, the remaining 40 units will be produced and assembled within India, under the auspices of Tata Advanced Systems (TASL), solidifying a formidable industrial partnership.
Production of critical components for these aircraft is already underway at the Main Constituent Assembly (MCA) facility located in Hyderabad.
The C-295’s deployment signifies a transformative shift for the IAF, as it retires aircraft that have served for over six decades. This versatile aircraft excels not only in paratroop and load airdrops but also in casualty evacuation, special missions, disaster response, and maritime patrol duties.
In parallel, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Bharat Drone Shakti-2023 exhibition at the Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad. This grand drone spectacle, jointly hosted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Drone Federation of India (DFI), showcases the vast potential of the Indian drone industry, featuring over 50 live aerial demonstrations.