The Tata Group, under the leadership of Ratan Tata, had inked a deal with Airbus to manufacture and assemble the C-295 military aircraft at the Vadodara FAL, the foundation stone of which was laid by PM Modi back in October 2022. Now, Noel Tata, the new Chairman of Tata Trusts, will complete his late half-brother’s work.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday inaugurate the Tata Aircraft Complex, which was set up Tata Advanced Systems in Vadodara, Gujarat, during the tenure of Ratan Tata, the late Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group, who established the plant to manufacture the C-295 military aircraft in India in collaboration with European aerospace giant, Airbus.
The Tata Aircraft Complex, which will be inaugurated by PM Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, will be India’s first private sector first private sector final assembly line (FAL) for military aircraft.
The Tata Group, under the leadership of Ratan Tata, had inked a deal with Airbus to manufacture and assemble the C-295 military aircraft at the Vadodara FAL, the foundation stone of which was laid by PM Modi back in October 2022. Now, Noel Tata, the new Chairman of Tata Trusts, will complete his late half-brother’s work, and build the first C-295 aircraft by 2026.
Tata, Airbus C-295 manufacturing deal
In 2012, India had signed a deal with Airbus to buy 56 C-295 aircraft from aerospace manufacturer. As per the agreement, Airbus and Tata will manufacture 40 C-295 aircraft at the Vadodara FAL, while Airbus will provide 16 aircraft to India directly from Spain. The first indigenously built C-295 aircraft will be ready by 2026.
According to reports, the Vadodara FAL includes complete development of the entire ecosystem from manufacturing to assembly, testing and qualification, and delivery and maintenance of the entire life cycle of the aircraft. Apart from the Tata Group, other leading public sector units, including Bharat Electronics and Bharat Dynamics, as well as private micro, small and medium enterprises will also contribute to the program.
First C-295 aircraft to be ready by 2026, 16 to be imported from Spain
As per the deal signed in 2021, Airbus will provide 16 C-295 aircraft from Spain while 40 will be built at the Vadodara plant with the first aircraft being ready by 2026, and production of all 40 aircraft scheduled to be completed by 2031. The aircraft, which will inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet for 25 years, will be maintained by Tata Advanced Systems, who, along with its suppliers, will be spending a whopping 10 lakh hours on the manufacture of each C-295 aircraft.
Airbus has already provided six of the promised 16 C-295 aircraft, and India will have the largest C-295 fleet, once all 56 planes are inducted in the IAF.
Employment opportunities
Apart from the project obvious significance in boosting India’s defence capabilities, it will also provide direct employment to over 3000 people and indirect employment to around 15,000 people. Tata Advanced Systems also a has a Main Component Assembly (MCA) in Hyderabad spanning over 20,000 square metres, apart from the Vadodara FAL, which is spread across 24,000 square metres.
Tata will also manufacture 18,000 parts for the C-295 aircraft in India.
C-295 aircraft unique features
The C-295 is modern military cargo aircraft manufactured by Airbus, boasting a payload capacity of up to nine tonnes, and has the capacity to carry 71 soldiers or 50 paratroopers. The C-295 is capable of landing on any and all types of runways, a feature which makes it unique among military carriers.
The aircraft need a mere 320 meters to take off and only requires a small runway stretching 670 meters for landing. The C-295 , capable of continuous flight for 11 hours at a speed of 480 kilometers per hour, and is used for maritime patrol missions, aerial surveillance and reconnaissance operations, medical evacuation, VIP transport.
The aircraft is also used in rescue operations during disasters to carry relief material and evacuate people.