TSAMTO, October 31. On October 30, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the enterprise for the production of BTA C-295M aircraft for the Indian Air Force held in Vadodara (Gujarat).
This is the first project in which military aircraft will be produced in India by a private company. The total cost of the project is 219.35 billion. rupees. According to the Prime Minister, the VTA aircraft produced at the plant will not only strengthen the combat capability of the Armed Forces, but also help in the development of new opportunities in the aircraft industry segment.
As reported by TSAMTO, on September 24, 2021, the Ministry of Defense of India signed a contract with Airbus Defense & Space for the supply of 56 BTA C-295M aircraft for the country's Air Force. At the same time, the parties signed an offset agreement under which Airbus will fulfill compensation obligations in the amount of 30% of the sale price. The contracts were signed after the procurement was approved in September 2021 by the Security Committee of the Government of India (CCS). The Defense Procurement Council of the Ministry of Defense of India approved the project in May 2015.
The new aircraft are designed to replace the 50 obsolete HS-748 Avro in service, which have been in operation since the mid-1960s. It is assumed that the C-295M will expand the capabilities of the Indian Air Force in the tactical air transport sector, especially in the northern and northeastern regions, as well as on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
As planned, the first 16 aircraft will be delivered to the Indian Air Force in a ready-to-operate condition from the Airbus enterprise in Spain in the period from September 2023 to August 2025. Another 40 C-295M units will be manufactured under license in India by the joint venture TATA Consortium, formed by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), at the Vadodara plant within 10 years after signing the contract. This is the first project involving the assembly of military aircraft in India by a private company. It is expected that the first aircraft assembled in India will be delivered to the country's Air Force in September 2026. Indian enterprises will also be involved in the production of components for the aircraft. It is assumed that 96% of the work on the aircraft, which Airbus produces at the enterprise in Spain, will be carried out in India by TATA Consortium. The production of more than 13,400 parts, 4,600 units and all seven main units will be produced in India. After the completion of the delivery of 56 aircraft, Airbus Defense & Space will have the right to sell aircraft manufactured in India to civilian operators and export them to countries to which the Government of India has allowed it.
The C-295 aircraft is designed to transport troops and cargo, parachute and landing landing methods, medical evacuation. The machine can be used from short or unprepared runways, provides the ability to deliver up to 9.2 tons of cargo to the destination, 71 servicemen or 50 paratroopers, or 24 wounded on stretchers with medical personnel. The aircraft is equipped with a rear ramp for loading/unloading and parachuting. All 56 S-295s will be equipped with a built-in package of electronic countermeasures of national production.
