First C-295 transport aircraft inducted into Indian Air Force
IAF on September 13 received the first of 56 C-295 transport aircraft after India sealed a Rs 21,935-crore deal with Airbus to replace its ageing Avro-748 fleet
The first C-295 medium tactical transport aircraft was on Monday inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF), boosting its logistics capabilities.
The induction ceremony took place at the Hindan Air Force Station in Ghaziabad in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who also participated in an all-religion prayer at the hangar.
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and senior officials of IAF as well as of Airbus attended the event.
The induction took place in Squadron No. 11, one of the oldest squadrons of IAF. It is currently based at Vadodara Air Force Station in Gujarat.
The aircraft was unveiled at the hangar after two sliding screens, bearing '11 SQN: Pioneers of C-295 MW', 'Rhinos: The Trailblazers of C-295 MW', and image of the newly-inducted aircraft, moved sideways.
One-horned rhino is the emblem of Squadron. No. 11.
Avro-748 fleet
The IAF chief on September 13 received the first of the 56 C-295 transport aircraft, two years after India sealed a Rs 21,935-crore deal with Airbus Defence and Space to replace its ageing Avro-748 fleet.
The aircraft had landed in Vadodara on September 20, days after it was handed over to the IAF in the Spanish city of Seville.
Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in fly-away condition from its final assembly line in Seville by 2025 while 40 aircraft will be produced and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India.
The production of components of these aircraft has already started in the Main Constituent Assembly facility in Hyderabad.
These parts will be shipped to the final assembly line in Vadodara which is expected to be operational by November 2024.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of the manufacturing facility for C-295 planes in Vadodara in October last year.
It will be the first military aircraft to be manufactured in India by a private consortium.
Superior aircraft
Avro-748 planes entered the service over six decades ago.
The C-295 is known to be a superior aircraft used for tactical transport of up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers and for logistic operations to locations that are not accessible to current heavier aircraft.
The aircraft can airdrop paratroopers and loads, and also be used for casualty or medical evacuation.
The aircraft is capable of performing special missions as well as disaster response and maritime patrol duties.
(With agency inputs)
