C-295 Aircraft Archives - Lokmarg

Rajnath To Induct C-295 Aircraft Into IAF

By LokMarg 25th September 2023

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the Bharat Drone Shakti-2023 exhibition at the Hindan Air Base in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad today.

The Defence Minister will also formally induct the C-295 transport aircraft into the Indian Air Force in the presence of top military officials, including IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari.

“Today, 25th September, I shall be in Ghaziabad to attend the Bharat Drone Shakti 2023, a drone exhibition cum display event. Shall also attend the unveiling ceremony of the IAF’s first C- 295 MW transport aircraft at Hindon Airbase. Looking forward to it,” posted the Defence Minister on X.

Notably, the IAF, recognizing the potential of indigenous drone design and development, is collaborating with the Drone Federation of India to jointly host Bharat Drone Shakti 2023.

This event, scheduled for September 25 and 26, will take place at the IAF’s Hindan airbase in Ghaziabad and will feature live aerial demonstrations.

In India, the utilization of drones is on the rise, spanning across military and civilian applications.

Drone technology has rapidly transformed both civil and defence sectors, enhancing efficiency, reducing risk exposure, and elevating capabilities, said a press release.

The IAF has extensive experience in deploying Remotely Piloted Aircraft for Intelligence Surveillance and reconnaissance operations.

To harness the burgeoning drone technology sector in India, the IAF initiated the Meher Baba Swarm Drone competition, showcasing its faith in the nation’s drone capabilities, according to the release.

Now, with Bharat Drone Shakti 2023, the IAF is poised to further leverage this expertise.

Bharat Drone Shakti 2023 promises to spotlight the full potential of the Indian drone industry, with an impressive lineup of over 50 live aerial demonstrations.

These demonstrations will encompass a diverse range of drone applications, including survey drones, agriculture drones, fire suppression drones, tactical surveillance drones, heavy-lift logistics drones, loitering munition systems, drone swarms, and counter-drone solutions, said the release.

The event will also witness the active participation of more than 75 drone start-ups and corporate entities.

Anticipated to draw approximately 5,000 attendees, Bharat Drone Shakti 2023 will serve as a convergence point for a wide spectrum of stakeholders.

Representatives from central government agencies, state departments, public and private industries, armed forces, paramilitary forces, friendly foreign countries, academic institutions, students, and drone enthusiasts are expected to grace the event, said the release.

This collaboration between the Indian Air Force and the Drone Federation of India underscores the commitment to advancing drone technology and its applications in India.

The event promises to showcase the capabilities of Indian drones and provide a platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and collaboration among industry leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts.

Bharat Drone Shakti 2023 marks a step towards harnessing the full potential of this transformative technology for the nation’s benefit. (ANI)

IAF Chief Receives First C-295 Transport Aircraft

By LokMarg 13th September 2023

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Wednesday received the first C-295 transport aircraft made for India by global aircraft manufacturer Airbus at a facility in Seville in Spain.

The Airbus officials handed over the keys of the aircraft to the Indian Air Force chief Chaudhari.

After receiving the delivery of the first C-295 transport aircraft, the IAF chief said that it is a major milestone for the whole country and that it is a stepping stone for Atmanirbhar Bharat.

“It is a major milestone not only for IAF but for the whole country. This is for two reasons – first, for IAF it improves our tactical airlift capabilities by leaps and bounds. For a nation, it marks the beginning of a new era,” Chaudhari said.

For Atmanirbhar Bharat, he said, “After the first 16 aircraft roll out from this plant, the 17th aircraft onwards will be made in India. It’s a big step for the Indian aviation industry where we will be manufacturing the first military transport aircraft in the country…”

The aircraft is the first of 16 C-295 that will be produced in Spain and the remaining 40 will be made in an Indian facility in Gujarat’s Vadodara under a joint venture of Tata and Airbus.

The aircraft is expected to be inducted formally into the service at a ceremony in Hindan around September last week.

The Indian Air Force chief was personally involved in the contract at important stages as Deputy Chief of Air Staff where he was leading the contract negotiations.

Indian Defence Ministry and Airbus Defence and Space, Spain signed a contract for procurement of 56 C-295 aircraft for the Indian Air Force in September 2021. C-295MW aircraft is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

The aircraft has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and paradropping of troops and cargo. Sixteen aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition from Spain within 48 months of signing of the contract and forty aircraft will be manufactured in India by TATA Consortium within 10 years of the signing of the contract.

This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company.

All 56 aircraft will be installed with an indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite. The project will give a boost to aerospace ecosystem in India in which several MSMEs spread over the country will be involved in the manufacturing of parts of the aircraft, according to a press release of the Ministry of Defence.

The programme will provide a major boost to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ of the Government as it offers a unique opportunity for the Indian Private Sector to enter into a technology-intensive and highly competitive aviation Industry.

The project is expected to augment domestic aviation manufacturing resulting in reduced import dependence and an expected increase in exports. (ANI)

Modi Lays Foundation Of C-295 Aircraft Manufacturing Unit In Vadodara

By LokMarg 30th October 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Gujarat, laid the foundation stone of the C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara today.

PM Modi was felicitated and presented with a memento by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Tata Sons chairperson N Chandrasekaran at the occasion.

The C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force will be manufactured by Tata-Airbus, said Defence Ministry officials.

Apart from making 40 aircraft, this facility at Vadodara would be manufacturing additional aircraft for Air Force requirements and exports, as per Defence Secretary Aramane Giridhar.

Speaking on the occasion, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, “Today, for the first time in the country, the foundation stone of an aircraft manufacturing facility is being laid by the private sector. It is certainly a matter of pride for the defense sector as well as for the entire country.”

“It is not just a foundation stone but a milestone in the defense sector’s ‘Atmanirbharta’ journey. C-295 aircraft manufactured at this facility will be state-of-the-art aircraft with superior capabilities and global standards. It will significantly enhance the logistic capability of the Indian Air Force,” Singh added.

With the launch of the C295 aircraft manufacturing facility, India will enter an illustrious league of about only a dozen nations with the capacity to manufacture military transport aircraft. -Currently, the US, Japan, UK, Russia, France, Italy, Spain, Ukraine, Brazil, China, and Japan has that capacity.

Tata-Airbus combine had said that C-295 manufacturing is “the first Make in India aerospace program in the private sector involving the full development of a complete industrial ecosystem; from manufacture to assembly, test and qualification, to delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft.”

Under the terms of the deal, 16 C-295 aircraft are scheduled to be delivered between September 2023 and August 2025 in flyaway condition, while the remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured at the Vadodara facility.

In another first, “indigenous content in the planes will be the highest ever in India, and 96 percent of the work that Airbus does in Spain will now be done at the new facility.”

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

Further, 13,400 parts, 4600 sub-assemblies, and all significant component assemblies will be manufactured by 25 domestic MSME suppliers spread across seven states. All these 56 aircraft will be fitted with an indigenous electronic warfare suite developed by Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Limited.

As per the Allied Market Research report, the military transport aircraft industry is set to reach USD 45 billion industry size by 2030. Tata-Airbus facility is due to complete its IAF commitment by 203 products and start exporting its products to other nations as well.

Given the fact that the military transport aircraft industry is a much more robust and technologically advanced machine than commercial airliners, C295 manufacturing will open up prospects for the development of domestic commercial aircraft manufacturing will pick up. Indian airline companies are one of the biggest buyers of commercial aircraft with an ever-expanding order book of 1,100 aircraft since 2011.

Demand for commercial aircraft coupled with the C295 aircraft manufacturing facility and associated supply chain will create the required ecosystem to support the development of the commercial aircraft manufacturing industry in India.

The Vadodara facility will be initially geared to manufacture 8 aircraft per year, but it has been designed such that it can also cater to the additional needs of Indian armed forces or exports.

As per Defence Ministry, following the delivery of 56 aircraft to IAS, the combine will be allowed to sell India-built C295 aircraft to civil operators and to countries cleared by the government. It is believed that the Vadodara facility will replicate the success of Brahmos in missile exports.

Big boost to the Make in India: India has embarked on a massive transformation of its defense sector through the ambitious Make in India program of the Modi government. Several projects for the domestic manufacturing of various defense platforms like missiles, field guns, tanks, aircraft carriers, drones, fighter planes, tanks, and helicopters are currently underway and are fulfilling the defense modernization needs of the Indian armed forces.

However, military transport aircraft was one of the critical missing links in the entire defense industrial complex chain. The JV between Tata and Airbus has plugged that missing piece and will significantly boost the Make in India program of the Narendra Modi government. The Indian Armed forces will no longer have to depend on the old Avro planes of the 1960 generation for their transportation needs. (ANI)