Why Airbus believes A400M could land India's Medium Transport Aircraft deal
By Girish Linganna | First Published Jul 28, 2023, 8:00 AM ISTThe MTA program aims to acquire new transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force, enhancing its capabilities in transporting cargo, including armoured vehicles. It will also enhance India's military capabilities and transportation capacity. Girish Linganna delves into Airbus prospects.
The Indian Air Force's air transport capabilities mostly depend on antiquated Antonov AN-12 and Ilyushin II-76 aircraft, even if it has a few C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. The Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme is looking for an aircraft that can transport between 18 and 30 tonnes of cargo. Recently, New Delhi sent a Request for Information (RFI) to interested manufacturers on this programme.
The requests made by India have been met with responses from three different aerospace manufacturers -- the American Lockheed Martin offering its C-130J Hercules, the European Airbus offering the A400, and the Brazilian Embraer offering the C-390.
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During a recent discussion with Indian journalists, Jean-Brice Dumont, head of military aerial systems at Airbus, stated that Airbus has responded to the RFI and submitted the A400M. He said that Airbus A400 has a range that is twice as long as its competitors and can carry a payload greater than its competitors (believed to be 37 tonnes).
In addition, Airbus is not operating in a territory that is unfamiliar to it. India's Ministry of Defence gave their approval in September 2021 for the acquisition of 56 C-295MW light transport aircraft, which were intended to replace the older Hawker Siddeley HS 748 currently in use by the Indian Air Force.
In order to fulfil the requirements of the "Make in India" policy, a partnership has been established with Tata Advanced Systems to construct all forty of the aircraft that have been ordered in India.
According to Venkat Katkuri, head of its Indian subsidiary, Airbus Defence & Space intends to play the 'Make in India' card to win this potential market. Airbus is open to it if the operation is viable, he said.
According to Katkuri, who serves as the CEO of Airbus Defence & Space's Indian business, the company plans to use the 'Make in India' card to win over this prospective market. He stated that Airbus would be receptive to the idea if it meant the venture could be profitable.
The RFI did not include information regarding the precise number of transport aircraft the Indian Air Force wished to acquire. It merely requested that manufacturers offer an 'approximate cost', including the costs of "related equipment," for batches of forty, sixty, and eighty aircraft.
One of the goals of the MTA programme would be to give the Indian military the ability to rapidly transport armoured vehicles, such as light tanks weighing up to 25 tonnes, to the Ladakh region. This is an area where there are recurring problems with China.
The A400M Atlas has certain advantages to provide in this regard because the C-130J Super Hercules (which has a payload capacity of 20 tonnes) and the C-390 Millennium (which has a payload capacity of 25 tonnes) are considered to be rather 'light' for such missions.
The IL-76 and the C-17 cannot land on short temporary runways, but the A400M can transport essential supplies directly to the location where they are required the most.
In any event, securing a new export contract is crucial for Airbus, as it would help sustain the A400M assembly lines in the short term. This is especially important given the fact that several countries involved in this programme are contemplating reducing their orders, such as Spain and France, who have a target of "at least" 35 units by 2030 out of the 50 units ordered.
Embraer made the most of this opportunity as well as other opportunities in Asia, by showcasing its C-390 Millennium at Aero India 2023. This was the first time that the company had participated in this event with this particular aircraft model.
According to FlightGlobal, Bosco da Costa Junior, Executive Director of Embraer Defence & Security, stated that the business is optimistic about the positive effects that the C-390 Millennium will have on the Indian Air Force. The partnership with India on this initiative is something that the organisation is very excited about.
Embraer's C-390 Millennium offers a versatile force multiplier, and Embraer is confident in the benefits it will bring to the Indian Air Force, he added, without going into the specifics of business potential. Earlier, it was stated that Embraer would be willing to work with the local sector to make components or execute the aircraft assembly in India. This would be an incentive for the buying side of the transaction.
The C-390 has demonstrated its capacity, reliability, and performance in various tasks since it went into operation with the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) in 2019. FAB's fleet of five aircraft, which are KC-390 and are used for aerial refuelling, has already amassed more than 7,500 flying hours. Furthermore, recent numbers reveal a mission completion rate of 99%, demonstrating productivity in the category.
The Portuguese and Hungarian governments, both of which are members of NATO, have placed orders for the C-390 Millennium. The C-390 Millennium was chosen by the Netherlands in 2022, despite the country's status as a NATO member.
The Indian Air Force's Netra AEW&C aircraft is one of the Embraer Defence & Security products in use in India. Embraer and India's Defence Development and Research Organisation (DRDO) collaborated to develop a fleet of three Netras based on the ERJ 145 regional aircraft platform. With the lowest payload capacity of the candidates, the C-130J Super Hercules is already in use with the Indian Air Force and is currently meant for the Special Forces.
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