Transport Aircraft of IAF - C-130J, C-17 Globemaster, C295: Updates & Discussions

Gautam said:
India in talks for 10 more Airbus C-295 aircraft in ageing fleet revamp, sources say

By Aditya Kalra, Shivam Patel and Tim Hepher
February 28, 20251:51 PM GMT+5:30
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C-295 MW Transport Aircraft is pictured after it was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force at the Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad, India, September 25, 2023. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File Photo.

Summary
  • Airbus-Tata partnership boosts India aerospace production
  • Indian Air Force's growing needs driving increased orders, source says
  • In 2021, India ordered 56 C-295 aircraft from Airbus-Tata
NEW DELHI/PARIS, Feb 28 (Reuters)- India is in talks to purchase 10 more Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft than the 71 it had planned, as the country ramps up efforts to replace its ageing fleet with locally built planes, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The discussions come as a boost for Airbus' partnership with Indian conglomerate Tata Group after they jointly opened an assembly line for the C-295 in the western state of Gujarat last year.

India's government in 2021 struck a $2.52 billion deal for 56 C-295 aircraft for the Air Force, and last year gave an initial nod for 15 more for its navy and coast guard. Now, talks are on to add up to 10 aircraft to the 2024 order, said the three sources, who declined to be named as the talks are private.

One source said the additional planes are for the Indian Air Force.

"The Indian Air Force has significant transport capability requirements; they need a lot of aircraft," said Laxman Behera, a defence expert at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.

Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems, which is running the project, declined to comment. India's defence ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Going by the deal value of the 2021 purchase of 56 aircraft, an expanded order for 25 C-295s could be worth $1.1 billion.

India is the world's biggest arms importer but has been trying to boost domestic production and self reliance as it looks to counter neighbouring China's rapidly growing military.

The C-295 is a multi-role transport aircraft that can carry up to 70 troops or eight tonnes of cargo and can carry out missions such as airborne warning, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Airbus has said the Indian Air Force will soon become the largest C-295 operator, and that in India, all of the aircraft's structural components are being made locally.

AIR FORCE'S GROWING NEEDS

The source who said the expanded order was for the Air Force also said the Indian government is likely to place more orders for C-295s, while a separate industry source, familiar with the Ministry of Defence's thinking, said New Delhi wants up to 75 more C-295s, above the 56 ordered in 2021.

Sixteen C-295s from the 2021 order are due to come from Airbus' site in Spain while the remaining are expected to be assembled at the Airbus-Tata facility in India by 2031.

The new purchased C-295s could come solely from the Gujarat assembly line, but if New Delhi wants delivery faster, some may still need to come from Spain, the first source added.

The C-295 replaces India's legacy fleet of 56 Avro HS-748, which were first introduced in 1961 and formed the backbone of the Air Force's transport fleet.

The Indian Air Force chief this year criticized slow deliveries of fighter jets from state-run warplane maker Hindustan Aeronautics and has emphasized increasing production speed and called for opening up warplane manufacturing to private firms to boost competition.

https://www.reuters.com/business/ae...t-ageing-fleet-revamp-sources-say-2025-02-28/
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This is huge 🥂
 
Akula said:
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Then we gotta do it imo, having more AWACS wont hurt, especially considering this will free up Netra and Phalcon for aircraft detection roles and can be used for defence against cruise missiles. We can perhaps make ELINT aicraft from these planes too!!! We just need to have the will to do it 🥲
 
RationalGuy said:
Then we gotta do it imo, having more AWACS wont hurt, especially considering this will free up Netra and Phalcon for aircraft detection roles and can be used for defence against cruise missiles. We can perhaps make ELINT aicraft from these planes too!!! We just need to have the will to do it 🥲
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Iaf won't like the lower ceiling, lower speed, lower power generation of a propeller based aircraft.
 
babablacksheep said:
Iaf won't like the lower ceiling, lower speed, lower power generation of a propeller based aircraft.
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Are the cheaper? Cause then, they can be used in bigger number and inside deep Indian territory with high value targets to detect threats and complementing ground based radars.

Maybe can act as a drone swarm commander for constant ISR in threat scenario.
 
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RationalGuy said:
We can use it extensively for detection of cruise missiles which is easier to do from higher altitudes along with other traditional AWACS roles.
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IAF will not invest in an awacs, with limited utility.
Especially when cheaper second hands jet powered planes are available at much cheaper prices.
Per unit cost of c295 we are buying is 40-45 million.
An awacs varient will require additional modifications, makinv the cost go higher than 50 million

Buying a second hand erj-145, even ones not much old cost less than 10 million, the cost of modifying it to become military standard and further modifications for awacs role will make the cost at most 20-25 million.

So less than half the cost of c295 based awacs platform.
So c295 is not the cheaper awacs you are thinking it is.
Putting thr same sensors intended for c295 in an erj145 will be cheaper.
If iaf was interested they could have just ordered more netramk1a.
Subgradewalker said:
Are the cheaper? Cause then, they can be used in bigger number and inside deep Indian territory with high value targets to detect threats and complementing ground based radars.

Maybe can act as a drone swarm commander for constant ISR in threat scenario.
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Post in thread 'Transport Aircraft of IAF - C-130J, C-17 Globemaster, C295: Updates & Discussions' Transport Aircraft of IAF - C-130J, C-17 Globemaster, C295: Updates & Discussions
 
babablacksheep said:
IAF will not invest in an awacs, with limited utility.
Especially when cheaper second hands jet powered planes are available at much cheaper prices.
Per unit cost of c295 we are buying is 40-45 million.
An awacs varient will require additional modifications, makinv the cost go higher than 50 million

Buying a second hand erj-145, even ones not much old cost less than 10 million, the cost of modifying it to become military standard and further modifications for awacs role will make the cost at most 20-25 million.

So less than half the cost of c295 based awacs platform.
So c295 is not the cheaper awacs you are thinking it is.
Putting thr same sensors intended for c295 in an erj145 will be cheaper.
If iaf was interested they could have just ordered more netramk1a.

Post in thread 'Transport Aircraft of IAF - C-130J, C-17 Globemaster, C295: Updates & Discussions' Transport Aircraft of IAF - C-130J, C-17 Globemaster, C295: Updates & Discussions
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After the long-range shootdown of the PAF Saab 2000 Erieye (AEW&C) aircraft, IAF will definitely prefer for additional Netra systems, which are more agile and faster-moving aircraft. As for the C295, I believe it is better suited for maritime surveillance roles, similar to the P8I, as it is more fuel-efficient due to turboprop aircraft.
 
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RationalGuy said:
Then we gotta do it imo, having more AWACS wont hurt, especially considering this will free up Netra and Phalcon for aircraft detection roles and can be used for defence against cruise missiles. We can perhaps make ELINT aicraft from these planes too!!! We just need to have the will to do it 🥲
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Small, short, less power, less range/endurance etc. Not worth it.
 
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GxSGwrAWgAA3S1C


16th and last C-295 from Spain.

GxTl7LVXQAAfa3A


 
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