In News:

The first Made in India Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft successfully completed its maiden test flight from the Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Vadodara, Gujarat, marking a major milestone in India's defence manufacturing capabilities.

About C-295

The Airbus C-295 is a twin-turboprop tactical military transport aircraft designed to replace the Indian Air Force's ageing Avro HS-748 fleet. It is capable of operating in high-altitude, harsh terrains, and Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) conditions, making it suitable for border operations and humanitarian missions.

Manufacturing Programme

The aircraft is being procured under a ?21,935 crore contract for 56 aircraft.

• 16 aircraft are being delivered in fly-away condition from Airbus, Spain.
• The remaining 40 aircraft are being manufactured in India through a partnership between Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) at Vadodara.

The project is India's first large-scale military aircraft manufacturing programme led by the private sector, supporting the objectives of 'Make in India' and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Key Features

• Twin-turboprop tactical transport aircraft with STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) capability.
• Can operate from short, semi-prepared and unpaved airstrips.
• Suitable for troop transport, cargo movement, medical evacuation (Medevac), disaster relief, paratrooper operations and maritime surveillance.
• Over 85% of the structural components of the 40 Indian-built aircraft will be manufactured domestically, including more than 13,000 parts.