C-295 Transport Aircraft Manufacturing Facility- Country’s First in Private Sector

C-295 Transport Aircraft Manufacturing Facility- Relevance for UPSC Exam

• C-295 Transport Aircraft: Establishing India’s first private C-295 Transport Aircraft Manufacturing Facility will help in boosting self-reliance of defense sector. C-295 Transport Aircraft Manufacturing Facility is important for UPSC Prelims Exam (Current Affairs) and UPSC Mains Exam ( GS Paper 2- Governance, Administration and Challenges- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation).

C-295 Transport Aircraft Manufacturing Facility: Why in News?

• Recently, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility – the country’s first in the private sector – in Vadodara, Gujarat.
• As part of the event, the Prime Minister also visited an exhibition which showcased the technological and manufacturing strides in the aerospace industry under ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

C-295 Transport Aircraft Manufacturing Facility

• About: The C-295 Transport Aircraft Manufacturing facility will manufacture C-295 aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
  • It is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company.
• Collaboration: C-295 Transport Aircraft Manufacturing facility is being set up through collaboration between Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain.
• Cost: The total cost of the C-295 aircraft manufacturing facility project is Rs 21,935 crore. The aircraft can be used for civilian purposes as well.

Timeline for C-295 Transport Aircraft Delivery

• Sixteen (16) aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition. They are scheduled to be received between September 2023 and August 2025.
• Remaining forty (40) will be manufactured at the Vadodara manufacturing facility. The first Made in India aircraft is expected from September 2026.

What is C-295 Transport Aircraft?

• About: The C-295 is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of IAF.
  • Robust and reliable, it is a versatile and efficient tactical transport aircraft which can perform a number of different missions.
• Capacity: The aircraft, with a flight endurance of up to 11 hours, can carry out multi-role operations under all weather conditions.
  • It can routinely operate day as well as night combat missions from desert to maritime environments.
  • It has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para dropping of troops and cargo. Short take-off/land from semi-prepared surfaces is another of its features.

 Importance of C-295 Transport Aircraft Manufacturing Facility

• Promote Self-Reliance: The project offers a unique opportunity for the Indian private sector to enter into technology intensive and highly competitive aviation industry.
  • It will augment domestic aviation manufacturing resulting in reduced import dependence and expected increase in exports.
  • After completion of delivery of 56 aircraft to IAF, Airbus Defence & Space will be allowed to sell the aircraft manufactured in India to civil operators and export to countries which are cleared by the Government of India.
• Employment Generation: The TATA Consortium has identified more than 125 in-country MSME suppliers spread over seven states. This will act as a catalyst in employment generation in the aerospace ecosystem of the country.
  • This is expected to generate 600 highly skilled jobs directly, over 3,000 indirect jobs and an additional 3,000 medium skill employment opportunities with more than 42.5 lakh man hours of work within the aerospace and defence sector of India.
  • Nearly 240 engineers will be trained at Airbus facility in Spain.

C-295 Aircraft

C-295 Aircraft

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