The first of 56 C295 turboprops to be delivered to the Indian Air Force (IAF) performed its maiden flight on Friday, May 5, Airbus said.
The tactical aircraft took off from Getafe’s facility in Seville, Spain for a 3-hour flight.
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“This first flight represents a significant accomplishment for the first Make in India aerospace programme. With the Indian Air Force set to become the largest operator of the C295 in the world, this program exemplifies our commitment to improve the Indian Air Force (IAF) operational capabilities,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Military Air Systems at Airbus Defense and Space.
India has placed an order for 56 turboprops in September 2021, 40 of which will be assembled in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) on an Indian assembly line.
The remaining 16 C295s, however, will be delivered first and manufactured in Spain. In the IAF, the turboprop will replace older Avro 748s, which were assembled locally under license by Hindustan Aerospace Limited.
The agreement for the sale of military turboprops was drawn up in 2015, but has since been analyzed by government areas in India. The Air Force is expected to use the C295s in various types of tasks, including transport and possibly ordering more aircraft for use in maritime patrol and coast guard.
