Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez on October 28, 2024 inaugurated the Tata Aircraft Complex in Vadodara, India’s first private facility to build military planes, where C295 aircraft will be produced.
- The Airbus C295 is a medium tactical transport aircraft that was designed and initially manufactured by the Spanish aerospace company CASA, which is now a part of the European multinational Airbus Defence and Space division.
- The C295 can also be used for medical evacuations, disaster response, and maritime patrol duties.
- Under the C-295 programme, 56 aircraft are to be delivered out of which 16 are being delivered directly by Airbus from Spain and remaining 40 are to be made in India by Tata Advanced Systems Ltd.
- The C-295 is new generation transport aircraft used for airlift operations. It has modern technology & avionics and is perhaps the best current type in its class, with a payload of 9.5T.
- This aircraft is being inducted into IAF to replace the HS 748 Avro.
- The C-295 project is a huge accomplishment for the Indian private industry as it is the first project of its kind in which a complete military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company. It will provide a boost to the aerospace ecosystem in the country.
