India To Replace Vintage Avro Planes; Russian, European Aircraft Lead The Fray

As India plans to replace its aging Avro transport aircraft fleet, Russia’s Ilyushin, the Ukrainian Antonov, EADS’ Casa C-295 and the Italian Alenia C-27J Spartan could be chosen as potential competitors for the $2.4 billion aircraft contest. India’s defense ministry on Monday approved the proposal to procure 56 transport aircraft for the Air Force. India has issued a global tender that will replace the vintage Avro planes which were used to transport cargo weighing upto 8 tonnes. The defence acquisition council (DAC) headed by defence minister AK Antony plan on procuring twin-engine aircraft with a six to eight tonne payload capacity, cruise speed of 800 kilometers per hour range of 2,500 kilometers to 2,700 kilometers and induct the aircraft before the end of 12th Plan. A public sector firm will be chosen by the DAC to partner with the winning foreign vendor for the procurement of the first 16 aircraft. Another 16 aircraft will be built with 30 per cent indigenous components and the remaining 24 planes will have 60 per cent locally-procured and produced items. According to the defense ministry, the Avro-replacement project will help develop the domestic aerospace industry and its capabilities to undertake such projects.