A major achievement in India’s defence and aircraft industry. The first jointly developed ‘Made in India’ C-295 military transport aircraft has successfully completed its test flight. The historic flight was completed at the final assembly line in Baroda, Gujarat. This is the first of 40 C-295 aircraft to be manufactured in India. A total of 56 C-295 aircraft have been contracted for the Indian Air Force, out of which 16 will come directly from Spain and the remaining 40 are being manufactured in India.
Why is this flight of the C-295 important?
It is considered to be the first privately built military transport aircraft in India’s history. It is one of the biggest projects in the implementation of the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ policies in the defense sector. The C-295 aircraft will replace the aging Avro 748 fleet of the Indian Air Force. They will be used for transporting troops and cargo, medical evacuation, special operations and delivering supplies to remote areas.
What is the message for India?
The successful flight proved that India is now not just an arms importer but is also capable of manufacturing complex military aircraft. The first Indian-made C-295 is expected to be delivered to the Indian Air Force this year from the assembly line in Vadodara. According to defence experts, if the C-295 project is successful, it will further strengthen India’s path to self-reliance in manufacturing larger military and civil aircraft in the future.
It is worth noting that India had signed a contract worth Rs 21,935 crore to get these 56 C-295 aircraft. This aircraft has two Pratt & Whitney turboprop engines. The length of this aircraft is 24.45 meters (80 feet 3 inches). Meanwhile, the wingspan of the aircraft is 25.81 meters (84 feet 8 inches). The height of the aircraft is 8.60 meters (28 feet 3 inches). This aircraft can carry up to 9,250 kg of cargo. This aircraft is also capable of carrying 71 soldiers fully equipped with combat gear. 50 paratroopers can be dropped from this aircraft at a time. This aircraft can travel with 24 stretchers and 7 medical assistants. The maximum speed of the aircraft is about 482 kilometers per hour. The aircraft can fly about 1,300 kilometers with a maximum load and about 4,300 kilometers with a load of 4,000 kg. The aircraft can fly at a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet. It is very small and can easily take off or land from unpaved or semi-paved runways (such as grass, dirt, or gravel).
