The Cabinet Committee on Security Wednesday approved the procurement of 56 C-295 MW transport aircraft from M/s Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain giving a big boost to the Indian Air Force.
The transport aircraft will gradually replace the ageing Avro fleet of the IAF.
As per a statement from the Ministry of Defence, 16 aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition from Spain within 48 months of signing the contract. The rest 40 will be manufactured in India by TATA Consortium over a period of ten years.
“This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company,” it said, adding all 56 aircraft will be installed with indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite.
“The project will give a boost to the aerospace ecosystem in India wherein several MSMEs spread over the country will be involved in manufacturing of parts of the aircraft,” the statement added.
It said the OEM will discharge its offset obligations through direct purchase of eligible products and services from Indian Offset Partners giving a further boost to the economy.
The C-295MW transport aircraft is a transport carrier that has a 5-10 tonne capacity with a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para-dropping of troops and cargo.
The statement said that the programme is in line with the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” plans of the government, and will augment “domestic aviation manufacturing resulting in reduced import dependence and expected increase in exports.”
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