First C295 tactical transport inducted; likely to fly in the Air Force Day parade

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday inducted the Indian Air Force’s first C295 tactical transport aircraft, which is capable of taking off and touching down even at unprepared landing grounds providing yet another option to the armed forces to deploy forces quickly close to the borders.

“This medium lift tactical aircraft is capable of taking off and landing from unprepared landing grounds and it will replace the HS-748 Avro aircraft. The induction of C-295 will bolster medium lift tactical capability of the IAF,” Singh said in a social media post after attending the induction ceremony at Air Force Station Hindon at Ghaziabad.

The aircraft had landed in Vadodara on September 20, days after Airbus handed it over to the IAF.

Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in fly-away condition by 2025 and the subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured by Tata Advanced Systems at Vadodara as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies.

The aircraft can carry up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers, airdrop cargo, be used for medical evacuation and take off and land in short and unpaved runways.

This is the first of the 56 aircraft that India purchased from Airbus in a nearly Rs 22,000 crore contract that the Defence Ministry signed with the aviation major in Sept 2021.

The first aircraft was inducted into Squadron 11 (Rhino) – one of the oldest IAF squadrons that was raised in 1951 at Barrackpore with 10 Dakota aircraft. The Squadron is currently based at Vadodara Air Force Station.

“The C295 will add to our tactical airlift capability and scale of operation,” said Group Captain Prashant Singh Negi, the commanding officer of the 11 Squadron.

The newly-inducted aircraft might fly in the upcoming Air Force Day celebrations in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh on October 8, sources said.

The Defence Minister also witnessed a mega drone show which included small high-speed Kamekaze (suicide) drones and a swarm of multiple drones for attacking an enemy target. Live demonstrations were also given in the field of agriculture, land survey and rescue operations. The IAF also exhibited a hybrid drone detection system.