The Cabinet Committee on Security, on 8 September, approved the procurement of 56 twin-turboprop C-295 aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to replace its ageing Avro fleet. Sixteen aircraft will be procured from the Airbus Defence and Space in a flyaway condition within 48 months of the signing of the contract and 40 aircraft will be manufactured in India by Tata consortium within 10 years of the signing of the contract.
The cost of the procurement is expected to be in the range of Rs 18,000 to Rs 20,000 crore. This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company. A large number of detail parts, sub-assemblies and major component assemblies of aero structure are scheduled to be manufactured in India. 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 the manufacturing of parts of the aircraft. The programme will act as a catalyst in employment generation in the aerospace ecosystem of the country and is expected to generate 600 highly skilled jobs directly, over 3000 indirect jobs and an additional 3000 medium skill employment opportunities with more than 42.5 lakh man-hours of work within the aerospace and defence sector.
Road to Acquisition
The IAF got approvals for its requirement to replace the existing fleet of Avros with a modern cargo aircraft in 2012. After tendering, in 2014, the project got stuck due to a single-vendor situation, a no-go under the then Defence Procurement Procedure, as only Airbus had responded in partnership with the Tata Group, offering its C-295.
Several global aviation companies such as the American Lockheed Martin, Ukraninan Ilyushin, Brazilian Embraer, Italian Alenia Aeronautica and Swedish Saab AB reportedly did not respond.
The defence ministry cleared the single-vendor offer in 2015 during a Defence Acquisition Council meeting, as no other viable proposal were coming for building the required aircraft of 5-tonne to 10-tonne category, following which negotiations for the contract began between the Airbus-Tata consortium and the ministry-air force officials.
The IAF has been pressing for years for the acquisition of medium transport aircraft (5-10-tonne lift capacity) to replace its 56 ageing Avro HS-748. The IAF already operates a large fleet of transport aircraft. These include over 100 AN-32s (being upgraded), ageing Russian IL-76s, and two new US aircraft – C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III. However, the IAF believes it requires additional utility and transport aircraft, for tactical use and for disaster relief and emergencies.
The reactivation of advanced landing grounds (ALGs) along the Sino-Indian border would create a requirement of rugged aircraft like the C-295 to operate off them, including for the UDAN programme.
About the C-295
The C-295MW aircraft is a transport plane of 5-10 tonne capacity powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G turboprop engines that are part of the PW100 family, that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of IAF.
The C-295 is a transporter that performs almost like a fighter. It requires just 700 metres of runway to lift off and climbs rapidly to mission altitude. It has multiple mission capability: transporting 71 persons, lifting 7.25 tonnes of cargo or monitoring the sea for 11 hours non-stop, using sophisticated radar and infra-red scanners. It requires just 350 metres to land.
The C-295 has a rear ramp door for quick loading and unloading and for para dropping of troops and cargo.
Comments
Airbus has waited on the sidelines for nearly 60 years for at least one defence contract to be in its kitty, even as India had selected the company’s products as the lowest bidder in more than two tenders that got scrapped. These failed bids for Airbus include the light utility helicopters to replace the Chetaks and Cheetahs and for the midair refuellers to enhance the endurance of several IAF aircraft.
During the process of manufacturing in India, it is expected that all the suppliers of TATA Consortium who will be involved in special processes will gain and maintain globally recognized National Aerospace and Defence Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP) accreditation.
The programme will provide a major boost to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ (self-reliant India initiative) as it offers a unique opportunity for the Indian private sector to enter into technology-intensive and highly competitive aviation Industry. The project will augment domestic aviation manufacturing resulting in reduced import dependence and expected increase in exports.
Before completion of the deliveries, a servicing facility for C-295MW aircraft is scheduled to be set up in India. It is expected that this facility will act as a regional MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) hub for various variants of C-295 aircraft.
