India’s first Airbus C295 cargo aircraft made for the Indian Air Force has successfully completed its maiden flight in the Spanish city of Seville, the French plane maker said. The Airbus Defense Twitter handle shared a video of the first test flight of the cargo aircraft, which is believed to be an important milestone towards its delivery by the second half of this year. Airbus said on Monday that the strategic aircraft took off from Seville at 11:45 a.m. local time on May 5 and landed at 14:45 p.m. after a three-hour flight. In October last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for a manufacturing facility for C295 aircraft in Vadodara.
India had sealed a deal worth around Rs 21,000 crore with Airbus Defense and Space in September 2021 to buy 56 C-295 transport aircraft to replace the aging Avro-748 aircraft of the Indian Air Force. While 16 of these aircraft will be delivered to the Indian Air Force in “fly-away” condition, to be built at the brand’s Spain-based facility, 40 aircraft will be built in India under a partnership with the Tata Group.
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First Flight
Saint #C295 For #India Successfully completed its first flight! This important milestone clears the way for delivery before the end of the year.Read the press release for more details: https://t.co/W6u53TCjUS@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/YjggKdwZbK
— Airbus Defense (@AirbusDefence) May 8, 2023
While 16 aircraft will be supplied by 2025, the subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies, thereby promoting the Make-in-India campaign. Will get a big boost.
“This maiden flight represents a significant milestone for the first Make in India aerospace programme. The Indian Air Force is set to become the largest operator of the C295 in the world, a program aimed at improving the operational efficiency of the Indian Air Force (IAF) exemplifies our commitment. capabilities,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, head of military air systems at Airbus Defense & Space.
Airbus said the C295 Final Assembly Line being built in Gujarat is the first concrete, large-scale Make-in-India defense program in the private sector that will unlock the industrial value chain of design, manufacturing, assembly, testing, delivery and maintenance. Full life cycle of the aircraft.
“This program will contribute significantly in developing indigenous capabilities of Indian companies for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’,” it said in a statement. The aircraft maker said the global C295 program includes a total of 280 orders from 39 operators, making it an aircraft unmatched in its weight and mission class.
The C295 is touted as an improved aircraft used for tactical transport of up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers, and for logistics operations in locations that are not accessible to current heavy aircraft. The aircraft can airdrop paratroops and loads, and can also be used for casualty or medical evacuation.
The aircraft is capable of undertaking special missions as well as disaster response and maritime patrol duties. After the mega deal was finalized last year, Airbus said the C295 program will bring the company’s full bouquet of world-class aircraft manufacturing and servicing to India in collaboration with its industrial partners.