First Airbus C-295 for IAF to start taxi trials in Spain; IAF to drop plan for additional C-295; 15 C-295 order by Indian Navy & Coast Guard

Source : Indian Defence Updates (IDU)

Newly completed Airbus C-295MW transport aircraft is the first of 56 contracted by the India’s Air Force (Image Source: Peter Foster)

The first Airbus C-295 Tactical Transport Aircraft for the Indian Air Force has completed assembly at the Airbus defense facility in Spain and will now start taxi trials in the coming weeks it will be handed over to Indian Air Force in the third quarter of 2023.

The Indian Air Force has dropped its plans to procure additional C-295 MW aircraft over the original order of 56 aircraft after floating a tender to procure 80

Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) to replace the aging Antonov An-32 Transport Aircraft for which the Air Force has received bids from three foreign aircraft manufacturers (Lockheed Martin, Embraer, and Ilyushin).

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy intends to place an order for 9 C-295 Medium-range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft while the Indian Coast Guard will order 6 C-295-based Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft (MMMA) to be developed by DRDO and ADE.