As per reports, the first few will be assembled from kits imported from Spain before transitioning to building parts. They don't envisage building the ac from the raw material stage as of now. Depends on order volumes.
HTT - 40 Project Manager PRASHANT shortly went to Amca program then shifted to TATA for this project.
Early units are going to be assembled from imported knocked-down kits. Manufacturing of the fuselage has started in TASL's Hyderabad unit:
India to procure 15 more C-295 aircraft; 12 to be built at home
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will jointly inaugurate the Tata Aircraft Complex at Vadodara on Monday. The facility will manufacture the C-295 aircraft.
India is looking to procure 15 additional C-295 transport aircraft from Airbus, beyond the 56 already contracted, of which 12 would be manufactured in India by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), while three would come in fly-away condition, according to official sources.On Monday (October 28, 2024), Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will jointly inaugurate the Tata Aircraft Complex at Vadodara which will manufacture the C-295. “This facility will be the first private sector final assembly line (FAL) for military aircraft in India. It will involve the full development of a complete ecosystem from the manufacture to assembly, test and qualification, to delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on Saturday.
“We may get three of 15 aircraft in fly-away condition given the urgent requirement. We are demanding TASL to increase the indigenisation level in the 12 aircraft to 78%,” an official source said. The 15 aircraft are for the maritime reconnaissance role being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
The Defence Ministry had signed a ₹21,935-crore contract with Airbus Defence and Space SA, Spain, in September 2021 for the supply of 56 aircraft. Of these, 16 will come in fly-away condition from Spain and 40 will be built in India by TASL in collaboration with Airbus at the FAL in Vadodara.
“The FAL was set in a record time of just two years. For 40 aircraft to be made in India by TASL, a substantial proportion of C-295 components, sub-assemblies and major component assemblies of aero structure are planned to be manufactured in India,” a source said.
As on date, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has already inducted six aircraft in its 11 Squadron based at Vadodara, the source stated. The first C-295 aircraft was delivered in September 2023 and the last of the 16 flyaway aircraft will be delivered by August 2025.
Of the 40 aircraft, the first C-295 will roll out of the Vadodara facility in September 2026 and the remaining 39 by August 2031. It is meant to replace the legacy HS-748 Avro aircraft in service with IAF. A full mission simulator has already been installed at the Agra air force station.
In terms of indigenous content, the value addition by TASL will gradually increase from 48% in the first 16 of the 40 aircraft to 75% in the remaining 24, sources said.
Other than the aero engine and avionics, which are sourced by Airbus from other original equipment manufacturers, the other structural parts will mostly be made in India, sources said. “Of 14,000 detailed parts used in one aircraft, 13,000 would be made in India from raw material. A total of 37 companies have already been identified by Airbus, of these 33 are Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises,” a source said.
There has been significant progress in domestic manufacturing part of the contract. The certificate of approval for the main component assembly facility in Hyderabad was given in February 2024.
In terms of employment generation, sources said a number of man-hours that Airbus employs to manufacture an aircraft in Spain, will be gradually transferred to India. Initially, it will be 78% for first five aircraft, which will increase to 96% for remaining 35 aircraft.
The project 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, the source stated.
All 56 aircraft will be equipped with an Electronic Warfare Suite that will be indigenously manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited. The C-295 is a versatile, new-generation tactical airlift aircraft with a payload capacity of 9.5 tonnes and is specialised in air transport missions, under all types of weather conditions both during day and night.
IAF is not even talking about An-32 replacement .... given that acquisitions take 20 years they should work to line up their orders now.
Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) for IAF
The IAF should consider converting civilian B767/A330 class ac as mil transports to reduce the wear and tear on the C-17 fleet imo. But the window of opportunity may be closing now that civil air traffic is picking up again.
www.strategicfront.org
ALH Dhruv of Sarang being loaded on a C-17. The C-17 was used to ferry the ALH to & from an airshow in Egypt:
Videos:
View attachment Dhruv loading on a C17.mp4
View attachment Dhruv loading on a C17_2.mp4
Videos:
View attachment Dhruv loading on a C17.mp4
View attachment Dhruv loading on a C17_2.mp4
Pioneering ‘Make in India’ in aerospace with the Airbus C295
08 November 2024
Airbus and Tata have built a complete industrial ecosystem around the C295 programme in India, the first aircraft manufacturing contract for the private sector in the country.
"Aircraft are critical to nation-building," says Samatha Bikumalla, senior manufacturing engineer, Airbus. "This is a dream come true.”
The inauguration of the Indian C295 final assembly line (FAL) in Vadodara, in Gujarat, India, on 28 October 2024, was a special moment for Samatha and her colleagues.
Airbus operates assembly lines and production sites around the world, but the Indian C295 programme is the first time the company has deployed the entire production system for an aircraft outside its home nations. The programme is being developed in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a subsidiary of the Tata Group.
An industrial benchmark for India
The programme involves the delivery of 56 C295 aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), soon to be the largest C295 operator. The aircraft will replace the IAF's Avro fleet to operate across India's vast territory.
A key feature of the C295’s military transport configuration is the integration of an indigenous self-protection suite that includes radar warning systems, missile warning sensors and countermeasure dispenser systems.
The industrial ecosystem created in India begins with the sourcing of raw materials and the manufacture of up to 13,000 detailed parts at three main locations: Nagpur, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The parts are then assembled into larger components at the Main Component Assembly (MCA) site in Hyderabad, and then shipped to the FAL in Vadodara.
"We have all MCAs built under one roof,” explains Udbhav. “This improves the efficiency of the industrial process. Contrary to the perception that large defence programmes have long lead times, we have achieved the MCA industrialization phase in 36 months. We expect to make similar progress and complete the remaining industrialization of detail parts and FAL over the next two years."
State-of-the-art production and air force training
Airbus has already delivered six C295s from the planned initial batch of 16 aircraft to IAF from Airbus' San Pablo site in Seville, Spain. The remaining 40 units will be delivered from Vadodara.
Airbus teams have created a full digital model of the C295, and all engineering models and tools have been digitized to ensure that production in India meets the highest quality standards of all Airbus assembly lines.
Following the best practice approach of the San Pablo FAL, the Vadodara FAL has adopted a Pulse Line set-up, where the assembly process is broken down into sequential, fixed steps. Each workstation is dedicated to a specific set of assembly tasks, and the aircraft 'pulses' from one station to the next. This is similar to an automotive assembly line but adapted to the larger scale and greater complexity of aircraft manufacturing.
The first IAF crews have been trained at the San Pablo site, while an additional 150 personnel will be trained in a new flight simulator to be installed at the Airbus training center in Agra, in northern India, before the end of 2024.
Developing India's aerospace and defence sectors
The C295 programme is at the heart of Airbus’ industrial mission in India: to develop a comprehensive aerospace ecosystem taking in assembly, manufacturing, design, innovation and training.
India is the world's fastest growing civil aviation market and airlines such as IndiGo and Air India have ordered more than 1,000 aircraft from Airbus. The company has just inaugurated its new India and South Asia Headquarters in New Delhi, which will also serve as a pilot and maintenance centre. In the helicopter market, Airbus and Tata are setting up India's first private sector final assembly line, for the H125.
The C295 FAL is expected to complete deliveries to the IAF by 2031. But first, the first 'Make in India' C295 will roll out of the Vadodara facility in September 2026. This will be another milestone for the Indian aerospace industry and the Airbus-Tata team.
"There are many people working in this industry, but I am the first pilot team in India, so I feel very special. Being the first team is important, and people will follow you," Samatha concludes.
Pioneering ‘Make in India’ in aerospace with the Airbus C295
08 November 2024
Airbus and Tata have built a complete industrial ecosystem around the C295 programme in India, the first aircraft manufacturing contract for the private sector in the country.
"Aircraft are critical to nation-building," says Samatha Bikumalla, senior manufacturing engineer, Airbus. "This is a dream come true.”
The inauguration of the Indian C295 final assembly line (FAL) in Vadodara, in Gujarat, India, on 28 October 2024, was a special moment for Samatha and her colleagues.
Airbus operates assembly lines and production sites around the world, but the Indian C295 programme is the first time the company has deployed the entire production system for an aircraft outside its home nations. The programme is being developed in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a subsidiary of the Tata Group.
This is historic: Airbus’ first aircraft final assembly line in India, and the first instance of the private sector setting up an aircraft manufacturing facility in the country. It will be a major boost to the Government of India's 'AatmaNirbhar Bharat' (Self-Reliant India) programme.
Venkat Katkuri, Head of Defence and Space, Airbus India & South Asia
Venkat Katkuri, Head of Defence and Space, Airbus India & South Asia
An industrial benchmark for India
The programme involves the delivery of 56 C295 aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), soon to be the largest C295 operator. The aircraft will replace the IAF's Avro fleet to operate across India's vast territory.
A key feature of the C295’s military transport configuration is the integration of an indigenous self-protection suite that includes radar warning systems, missile warning sensors and countermeasure dispenser systems.
We are delivering critical capabilities to the IAF," says Udbhav Sharma, C295 Make in India programme manager, Airbus Defence and Space. "At the same time, Airbus is building up the skills and the industrial ecosystem to deliver an aircraft end-to-end, from component manufacturing to delivery. This places India in the select group of countries with private aircraft manufacturing capabilities."
The industrial ecosystem created in India begins with the sourcing of raw materials and the manufacture of up to 13,000 detailed parts at three main locations: Nagpur, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The parts are then assembled into larger components at the Main Component Assembly (MCA) site in Hyderabad, and then shipped to the FAL in Vadodara.
"We have all MCAs built under one roof,” explains Udbhav. “This improves the efficiency of the industrial process. Contrary to the perception that large defence programmes have long lead times, we have achieved the MCA industrialization phase in 36 months. We expect to make similar progress and complete the remaining industrialization of detail parts and FAL over the next two years."
State-of-the-art production and air force training
Airbus has already delivered six C295s from the planned initial batch of 16 aircraft to IAF from Airbus' San Pablo site in Seville, Spain. The remaining 40 units will be delivered from Vadodara.
Airbus teams have created a full digital model of the C295, and all engineering models and tools have been digitized to ensure that production in India meets the highest quality standards of all Airbus assembly lines.
Following the best practice approach of the San Pablo FAL, the Vadodara FAL has adopted a Pulse Line set-up, where the assembly process is broken down into sequential, fixed steps. Each workstation is dedicated to a specific set of assembly tasks, and the aircraft 'pulses' from one station to the next. This is similar to an automotive assembly line but adapted to the larger scale and greater complexity of aircraft manufacturing.
The first IAF crews have been trained at the San Pablo site, while an additional 150 personnel will be trained in a new flight simulator to be installed at the Airbus training center in Agra, in northern India, before the end of 2024.
The establishment of the FAL in India will further expand the C295 footprint, and ensure long-term sustainable growth. Our forecasts indicate the potential for hundreds of C295 aircraft to be produced from our facilities in Europe and India.
Jorge Tamarit-Degenhardt, Head of C295 India Programme, Airbus Defence and Space
Jorge Tamarit-Degenhardt, Head of C295 India Programme, Airbus Defence and Space
Developing India's aerospace and defence sectors
The C295 programme is at the heart of Airbus’ industrial mission in India: to develop a comprehensive aerospace ecosystem taking in assembly, manufacturing, design, innovation and training.
India is the world's fastest growing civil aviation market and airlines such as IndiGo and Air India have ordered more than 1,000 aircraft from Airbus. The company has just inaugurated its new India and South Asia Headquarters in New Delhi, which will also serve as a pilot and maintenance centre. In the helicopter market, Airbus and Tata are setting up India's first private sector final assembly line, for the H125.
The C295 FAL is expected to complete deliveries to the IAF by 2031. But first, the first 'Make in India' C295 will roll out of the Vadodara facility in September 2026. This will be another milestone for the Indian aerospace industry and the Airbus-Tata team.
"There are many people working in this industry, but I am the first pilot team in India, so I feel very special. Being the first team is important, and people will follow you," Samatha concludes.
Pioneering ‘Make in India’ in aerospace with the Airbus C295
INAUGURATION OF C-295 FULL MOTION SIMULATOR AT AIR FORCE STATION AGRA
Posted On: 12 NOV 2024 2:13PM by PIB Delhi
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, AOC-in-C CAC inaugurated the IAF C-295 Full Motion Simulator (FMS) facility on 11 Nov 24 at Air Force Station Agra. A significant proportion of the pilot's training can be undertaken in the simulator thereby saving precious flying hours on the aircraft.
The state of the art simulator enables the pilots to train in near realistic environment by simulating various missions like tactical airlift, para-dropping, para-trooping, medical evacuation, disaster relief and also enables simulation of several critical situations that can be encountered in actual operations, ensuring that our pilots are battle ready. It will allow pilots to hone their skills in handling high risk emergencies that require time critical decisions, thereby enhancing the overall flight safety of military operations.
The induction of C-295 aircraft into IAF will give a fillip to the aerospace ecosystem of the country, marking the beginning of "Atmanirbhar Bharat" in private sector production of transport aircraft in India.
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
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
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/
By Aditya Kalra, Shivam Patel and Tim Hepher
February 28, 20251:51 PM GMT+5:30
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
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/