IAF Chief in Spain to receive India's first C-295 tactical military airlift plane today; know its capabilities

India will get its first C-295 tactical military airlift plane built by Airbus in Spain’s Seville. Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal (ACM) VR Chaudhari is in Spain to take the delivery of the aircraft.

“The aircraft would be flying to India from Spain after the ceremony,” ANI quoted defence officials as saying.

Upon arrival, the C-295 aircraft will be formally inducted on 25 September at the Hindon air-base.

In 2021, India inked a mega Rs 21,935 crore deal with Airbus for delivery of 56 C-295 aircraft for the IAF.

Under the agreement, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in ‘fly-away’ condition from its final assembly line in Seville, Spain within four years and the subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in Gujarat’s Vadodara as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies.

As per IAF, all 56 aircraft will be installed with an indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite (EWS) to enhance its capabilities in the operational areas.

It is worth mentioning that this would be the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will the manufactured in India by a private entity.

Capabilities of C-295 

The C-295 is a transport aircraft that has a capacity of 5-10 tonnes. It is enabled with contemporary technologies and will replace the aging Avro aircraft of IAF.

It is a twin-turbo aircraft that has the capability of covering long distances with fully geared troops. C-295 can even land on smaller airstrips.

The C-295 aircraft has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para-dropping of troops and cargo.

The transport aircraft is capable of carrying up to nine tonnes of payload or as many as 71 troops at a maximum cruise speed of 260 kts with a “short take-off and land” capability from semi-prepared surfaces in hilly terrain. It also has the capability of being equipped for air-to-air refuelling of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

The C-295, which cruises at altitudes up to 30,000 feet, will come fitted with a retractable landing gear and features an unobstructed 12.69-meter-long pressurized cabin.

According to Airbus, the C-295 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G turboprop engines that provide excellent manoeuvrability, and outstanding hot-and-high performance, with fuel consumption for a very long endurance of up to 13 hours aloft.