Modi and Spanish Prime Minister to inaugurate C-295 production line in Vadodara on October 28 | Latest news India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez will jointly inaugurate the Tata Aeronautical Complex in Vadodara on October 28 for the manufacturing of the C-295 transport aircraft, a turning point in the country's private sector which will for the first time produce a military aircraft.

This will be India's first private sector final assembly line of military aircraft, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Saturday.

This will involve the comprehensive development of a complete ecosystem from manufacturing through assembly, testing and qualification, to delivery and maintenance of the full life cycle of the aircraft, the PMO said.

In September 2021, the Ministry of Defense signed a $21,935 million contract with Airbus for 56 aircraft to strengthen the autonomy of the defense manufacturing sector. Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus are jointly executing the program. The contract provides for the European aircraft manufacturer to deliver 16 C-295s in flying condition, while the rest will be assembled in Vadodara.

Airbus has already delivered six C-295s to the Indian Air Force, while the seventh aircraft is expected to enter service by the end of the year, HT has learnt. The IAF inducted its first C-295 in September 2023.

The last of the 16 flying aircraft will be delivered to the IAF by August 2025, while the first Indian-made C-295 will roll out of the Vadodara facility in September 2026 and the remaining 39 by August 2031.

In October 2022, Modi laid the foundation stone of the Vadodara facility. IAF will be the world's largest operator of the C-295.

The aircraft will enhance the Air Force's logistics capabilities to meet mission requirements in forward areas, including those near the disputed border with China, and will replace its aging fleet of Avro transport aircraft that entered into service in the early 1960s.

Apart from Tatas, leading defense public sector units such as Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), along with micro, small and medium enterprises, will contribute to the programme, the PMO said.

The 56 aircraft will be equipped with the indigenous electronic warfare suite developed by BEL and BDL. While BEL provides the radar warning receiver and missile approach warning system, BDL provides the countermeasure distribution system.

The C295 contract covers performance-based logistics support for five years, the provision of spare parts at 10 operational bases for 10 years, ground support and test equipment, and training.

Under the C-295 project, the manufacturing of more than 13,000 parts, 4,600 subassemblies and all major component assemblies will be carried out in the country. Certainly, equipment such as engines, landing gear and avionics will be supplied by Airbus and integrated into the aircraft. The tactical transport aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW127G turboprop engines.

The aircraft can carry up to nine tonnes of payload or 71 people or 45 paratroopers and has a maximum speed of 480 km/h. It can also operate from short or unprepared airstrips and has a rear ramp for dropping troops and cargo.

Additionally, Airbus Helicopters has shortlisted eight sites in India for the installation of a production line for the H125 helicopter, the fourth such installation in the world, in partnership with TASL, and the company anticipates demand for 500 helicopters in the country and in South Asia. over the next 20 years. The H125 single-engine final assembly line in India will be the first for a civil helicopter in the private sector.

The first H125 is expected to roll out of an Indian factory in 2026. These helicopters are currently produced only in France, the United States and Brazil. In India, TASL will handle major component assemblies, avionics and mission systems, flight controls, hydraulics, fuel system and engine.