Airbus Defence and Space has officially delivered the first of 56 C295 aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), marking a significant milestone in a contract aimed at replacing the aging Hawker Siddeley Avros-748 fleet. This particular C295, configured for transport and equipped with an indigenous electronic warfare suite, will soon embark on its journey from Airbus’ production site in Seville, Spain, to Delhi, India. The flight will be piloted by a joint IAF-Airbus crew.
The initial batch of 16 C295s, part of the 56-aircraft order, will be assembled at the San Pablo Sur site in Seville, Spain. The second aircraft is set to be delivered in May 2024, followed by one aircraft per month until August 2025. The delivery ceremony held in Seville in the presence of IAF Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari.