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24-Sep-21

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Centre inks Rs 20,000-crore deal with Airbus to buy 56 military transport aircraft

While the first 16 of the 56 aircraft that are to be delivered will be brought in flyaway condition from Spain, the next 40 will be manufactured by Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus in India.The Air Force will get the first C-295 MW transport aircraft in two years as per the deal signed with Airbus on Friday. While the first 16 of the 56 aircraft that are to be delivered will be brought in flyaway condition from Spain, the next 40 will be manufactured by Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus in India.
The aircraft from Spain will be delivered between two to four years from the signing of the deal — which took place on Friday — while the aircraft to be manufactured in India will be delivered starting fourth or fifth year from now and the delivery of the 56th aircraft will be concluded by the tenth year from now.After the Cabinet Committee approved the deal, which has been in the works for a decade, earlier this month, the Defence Ministry signed the contract with Airbus Defence and Space, Spain on Friday. It also signed the offset contract, as per which Airbus will discharge its offset obligations through direct purchase of eligible products and services from Indian Offset Partners.
While the officials have been tight-lipped about the deal, it is estimated to cost over Rs 20,000 crore. This is the first aerospace programme in the private sector in India and will involve the full development of a complete industrial ecosystem, including the manufacture to assembly, test and qualification, to delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft.All the aircraft will be handed over in transport configuration and equipped with an indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite. The government called it a “big step towards modernisation of IAF transport fleet”.
Speaking at an interaction with some journalists, Sukaran Singh, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Friday said that along with Airbus, more than a 100 sites have been considered to set up the production facility, but a final call in consultation with all stakeholders, including the locals, is yet to be taken.
Remi Millard, President and MD, Airbus South Asia, said that the project is a lot more ambitious than mere technology transfer as it is aimed at manufacturing the aircraft in the country. He said this will place India on the global map to manufacture such aircraft.According to Airbus, the C-295MW has a proven capability of operating from short or unprepared airstrips, and can be 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. It can airdrop paratroops and loads, and also be used for casualty or medical evacuation. It can also perform special missions as well as disaster response and maritime patrol duties.

By: Neeraj Chauhan

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