Lagatar24 Desk
The Defense Ministry on Friday signed a contract worth around Rs 20,000 crore with Airbus Defense and Space of Spain to buy 56 C-295 transport aircraft. These aircrafts will replace the Indian Air Force’s Avro-748 aircraft. The long-pending deal was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security two weeks ago and a contract was signed between the Ministry of Defense and Airbus Defense Space, Spain for procurement of 56 C-295 transport aircraft for the IAF.
Under the deal, 16 aircraft will be delivered by Airbus Defense & Space within 48 months of signing of the contract. Officials said the remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured in India by a consortium of Airbus Defense and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) within 10 years of the signing of the contract. The C-295 MW aircraft is a 5-10 tone transport aircraft. This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company
“All the 56 aircraft will be fitted with indigenous Electronic Warfare Suites,” the ministry had said after the Cabinet Committee on Security Affairs cleared the deal.
The approval under the Avro replacement program was given about nine years ago. The ministry had said there are plans to set up a C-295 MW aircraft servicing facility in India before the delivery is completed.
