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Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) will jointly execute the project to equip the air force with 56 C-295 transport aircraft under the Make-in-India initiative in the aerospace sector.

India will sign a $2.5-billion contract his year for the supply of 56 medium transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force to replace its fleet of aging Avro-748 planes, officials familiar with the development said on Tuesday.Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) will jointly execute the project to equip the air force with 56 C-295 transport aircraft under the Make-in-India initiative in the aerospace sector.

Under the contract, Airbus will supply the first 16 aircraft in flyaway condition while the remaining 40 will be assembled in India by TASL, the officials said.

The procurement of 56 C-295 from Airbus with participation of an Indian production agency for the manufacture of 40 aircraft (out of total 56) in India is at financial approval stage and the contract is likely to be signed in the near future, the defence ministry said in its year-end review.

“The case is first of its kind which envisages participation of private companies and would prove to be a boost for our defence industry,” the ministry said.While the C-295s are meant to replace the Avro-748 transport planes, the new aircraft will also be suitable for demanding roles that the AN-32 currently undertakes, as previously reported by Hindustan Times.

The Avro-748 entered service in the early 1960s and has been long due for replacement, said Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd), additional director general, Centre for Air Power Studies.

“The replacement C-295 project has been in the works for the past eight years and has spawned a new term --- the Avro model --- in the acquisition field due the unique path adopted. Actually, there is an acquisition fatigue that has crept in, a state that needs to be broken by actually inducting the aircraft that is sorely required by the IAF. The C-295 would also be the natural replacement for AN-32s which too would be getting phased out soon,” Bahadur said.The first 16 planes will be supplied in two years, and the deliveries of the 40 locally-assembled ones will be spread over an additional eight years. The aircraft can operate from short, unprepared airstrips and carry out a variety of missions in all-weather conditions.

The contract for buying 83 LCA Mk 1A aircraft for the IAF from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is also likely to be signed soon after approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security, the ministry said its review. Last March, the defence ministry gave a green light to the purchase of 83 advanced Tejas jets from HAL. The deal is expected to be worth Rs 38,000 crore.

The deal for the 83 Mk-1A jets will take the total number of Tejas variants ordered to 123.The 40 LCAs already ordered by the IAF are in the initial operational clearance (IOC) and the more advanced final operational clearance (FOC) configurations. The LCA Mk-1A will come with additional improvements over the FOC aircraft, making it the most advanced Tejas variant so far.

The Mk-1A variant is expected to come with digital radar warning receivers, external self-protection jammer pods, active electronically scanned array radar, advanced beyond-visual-range missiles and significantly improved maintainability.

India is also likely to sign a deal with Israel for additional Harop (P-IV) loitering weapon systems in the first quarter of 2021, the year-end review said. The Harop is designed to locate and attack high-value targets with precision. The weapon (also known as a suicide drone) tracks the target, dives on to it and detonates the warhead on impact, according to its maker Israel Aerospace Industries.

Sri Lanka in talks to overhaul five Kfirs

 The Sri Lanka Air Force is to increase its air capability including combat aircraft within the year and it has already sent a number of aircraft including fighter jets Kfir and MI-17 for overhaul purposes overseas, Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana said yesterday.   

“We have already initiated discussions with an Israeli Aircraft manufacturer to overhaul five Kfir fighter jets of the Sri Lanka Air Force and within this month all will be finalised on this,” the Commander told the Daily Mirror.   

He also said that the Cabinet of Ministers had already approved a proposal costing $49 million to overhaul and upgrade five Kfir fighter jets, which were in active service in the SL Air Force.   

Air Marshal Pathirana also said that two C-130 aircraft (medium lift transport aircraft) of the SLAF will also be sent for overhaul purposes soon.   

“Discussions are underway with Pakistan and most probably one C-130 will be sent there for overhauling while bids have already been called for Capital Overhauls and Service Life Extension for the second C-130 aircraft.”   He also revealed that three Ukraine built Antonov-32 transport aircraft of the SLAF have already been sent to Ukraine for overhaul purposes while another AN-32 will also be sent there soon for the same purpose.   Three more MI-17 combat helicopters, that were too on active duty during last two decades had already been sent to Lithuania for overhaul purposes. “There were several MI-35 combat helicopters, which are currently grounded and they will also be sent for overhaul and service life extension,” the Commander revealed. 

Meanwhile, the Air Force Chief said that the SLAF is going to soon purchase two Chinese Y-12 aircraft, which are to be used for several purposes including transport, training, search and rescue missions. He also said that four more small helicopters that are to be used for training purposes would be purchased and already bids are called for it. “For that purpose, we have received the Cabinet approval already,” he said.   

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