C295 AIRCRAFT
1. Context
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday (September 13) received the first of the 56 C295 aircraft, which are set to replace its ageing Avro-748 fleet, at the Airbus production site in Seville, Spain.
2. C296 Aircraft
The C-295 is a medium-sized, twin-engine turboprop military transport aircraft developed by Airbus Defense and Space.
It is designed for various military and civil missions, including troop transport, cargo airlift, medical evacuation, and maritime patrol
The Airbus C295 is a medium-sized twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft designed and manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space. It is a versatile aircraft that can be used for a variety of missions, including:
- Tactical transport
- Maritime patrol
- Airborne early warning and control (AEW&C)
- Search and rescue (SAR)
- Medical evacuation (MEDEVAC)
- VIP transport
- Airborne firefighting
3. Significance
- The acquisition of the aircraft is significant for two reasons: First, it will replace the legacy Avro fleet of the IAF, which was acquired in the 1960s, and thus provide a fillip to the IAF’s air transport duties in carrying troops and material to different parts of the country.
- The IAF also operates the C-130J Super Hercules planes in the medium category and the giant C-17 Globemaster III for medium and heavier loads, which it had acquired from the United States
- Secondly, the acquisition sets into motion India’s first-ever ‘Make in India’ Aerospace programme in the private sector, under which the aircraft will be manufactured. So far, the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has had a monopoly over the manufacture of military aircraft in India
- This will boost India’s aerospace sector with 15,000 high-skilled jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs in the next 10 years
Source: indianexpress
