India signs C295 deal

The first ‘Make in India’ aircraft manufacturing project in the private sector took another step forward on 24 September, after Airbus announced the formal signing of a contract to provide 56 of its C295W aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

These new medium tactical airlifters will replace a fleet of more than 50 HS748 Avro aircraft.

Under the contract, within four years 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 the Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies,’ Airbus added in a statement. This process will take six years.

Other Indian companies involved in the programme include Bharat Electronics, Bharat Dynamics and SMEs in the private sector.

All of the IAF C295Ws will be handed over in transport configuration and equipped with an indigenous EW suite.

The IAF will become the 35th C295 operator worldwide, with the programme reaching 278 aircraft (200 of which are already in operation, according to Airbus).

Shephard on 10 September reported Indian government approval for the C295W procurement. No details of the contract value have been published but Shephard Defence Insight expects it to be worth around $2.5 billion.