Airbus has received the regulatory approval from the Indian regulator for its C295 aircraft programme. With this, it has become the first foreign original equipment maker to get such a nod.
Last year in September, nearly Rs 21,000 crore deal was sealed by India with Airbus Defence and Space to procure 56 C295 transport aircraft to replace the ageing Avro-748 planes of the IAF under a project that entails manufacturing of military aircraft in India for the first time by a private company.
Approval of C295 Aircraft Programme
The approval for the ambitious programme was given by the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA).
Airbus, under the agreement, will deliver the first 16 aircraft in ‘fly-away’ condition from its final assembly line in Seville, Spain within four years and the subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies.
The Indian regulatory authority for aeronautical quality assurance, DGAQA, has approved the Airbus Defence and Space Quality Management System (QMS) for the C295 aircraft.
Airbus, in a statement said that “This is the first time a QMS of a foreign aircraft manufacturer has been approved by DGAQA”.
In was at a ceremony held on the sidelines of DefExpo in Gandhinagar, when a certificate of approval was handed over by Director General of DGAQA Sanjay Chawla to Kajetan von Mentzingen, Head of Quality of Airbus Defence and Space.
For the C295 ‘Make in India’ programme, this nod by DGAQA is a significant first step of a comprehensive quality assurance roadmap agreed between Airbus and DGAQA.
Mentzingen said that “We have crossed a milestone for the C295 ‘Make in India’ programme. This certification demonstrates the trust and confidence that DGAQA places in Airbus quality standards. It marks the beginning of a robust and comprehensive roadmap that Airbus has put in place for the C295 ‘Make in India’ programme. It will be the foundation for successful aircraft manufacturing in India under the policy of Aatmanirbhar Bharat”.
The C295 ‘Make in India’ Programme
The programme entails the manufacturing of 40 aircraft in India. This includes full development of a complete industrial ecosystem — from the production of parts to assembly, test and qualification, to delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft.
Used for tactical transport of up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers, C295 is known to be a superior aircraft. It is also used for logistic operations to locations that are not accessible to current heavier aircraft.
It can also airdrop paratroops and loads, and also be used for casualty or medical evacuation and is capable of performing special missions as well as disaster response and maritime patrol duties.
After the mega deal was finalised last year, the Airbus said the C295 programme will see the company bring its complete bouquet of world-class aircraft manufacturing and servicing to India in collaboration with its industrial partners, including the Tatas and leading defence public sector units such as Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Ltd.
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