After nearly a decade after selection, India has finally approved 56 C-29 5MW transport aircraft for the Indian Air Forces (IAF) to replace the vintage AVRO HS 748 currently in the service. The order for 5-10 Tonne capacity C-295MW aircraft is being sold by Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain.
India requires Sixteen aircraft to be delivered in flyaway condition from Spain within 48 months of signing the contract. The rest of the forty aircraft are to be manufactured in India by TATA – Airbus Consortium within ten years of signing the contract. For the first time, a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company. Avro was built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which is a public sector company. The C-295 MW aircraft built for India will be installed with the indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite.
During the implementation of the project, the TATA Consortium will be involved in special processes and will acquire globally recognized National Aerospace and Defence Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP) accreditation.
A ‘D’ Level servicing facility (MRO) for C-295MW aircraft is to be set up in India and is expected to act as a regional MRO hub for various variants of C-295 aircraft. As a part of the offset obligation, the OEM will directly purchase eligible products and Services from Indian Offset Partners.
A D-Level (Depot-Level) performs activities requiring major overhaul or a complete rebuild of parts, assemblies, subassemblies, and end items, including manufacturing parts, modification, testing, and reclamation, as required.
The Avro is operated by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard too. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has offered to install an advanced version of Netra AEW&C on the C-295MW aircraft.
The MW in the C-295 MW stands for Military Winglet. Winglets have been added to the C-295 to enhance its range and reduction on fuel consumption.
