Airbus Pitching C295 Tactical Airlifter as Avro Replacement

SP’s ShowNews (SP’s): What is the level of participation and product profile planned by Airbus Defence and Space in Defexpo 2014?

Ian Elliott (Ian): It is the first time that we’re exhibiting at a show as Airbus Defence and Space, which is the result of combining the former Airbus Military, Cassidian and Astrium business units. So we have a considerable range of products and activities to discuss, but certainly the C295 aircraft is very important. We think it’s the perfect replacement for the IAF’s Avro fleet, but also for other roles in India, and as the basis for highly productive industrial collaboration.

We will be promoting the C295 tactical airlifter which the Group is proposing to address the IAF’s requirement as a replacement for its Avro medium transports. It is a highly versatile aircraft proven all around the world as a tough, reliable and high-performing workhorse with outstanding lifecycle costs and excellent performance on short or unpaved runways. We have delivered 106 C295s out of 123 on order and it is in service in 14 countries.

And in terms of aircraft, we will of course also be happy to talk about the A330 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport), which India has already selected as its new aerial tanker and for which the contract is in the final stages of negotiation.

But additionally we will be highlighting a wide range of other products from the combined Airbus Defence and Space range, such as the Tanan 300 vertical take-off and landing tactical unmanned aerial system, which is particularly suited for maritime surveillance and can perform eight-hour missions. Then there are defensive systems like the Spexer 2000 coastal surveillance radar which uses the latest Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology to detect and classify even very small sea, ground and low-flying air targets, and the MILDS AN/AAR-60 (V2) missile warning system which protects fighter aircraft against infrared-guided missiles and is in service with a number of European air forces.

We also have a series of communications products that are providing enhanced satcoms capabilities for ships and aircraft, as well as our TETRA mobile radio range, including the TH1n, which is the smallest and thinnest TETRA radio device in the world.

SP’s: Airbus has announced its participation in Defexpo 2014 with a rebranded image. In what way will it be qualitatively different from participation in similar events in the past?

Ian: The Airbus Defence and Space brand will make it much clearer to the market just what a wide and deep range of products and expertise we offer. Presenting our capabilities to the market in a more efficient manner is one of the important drivers in the restructuring and we are very keen to demonstrate that at Defexpo.

SP’s: The Indian Air Force had selected the Airbus A330 MRTT to augment its fleet of in-flight refuelling aircraft. What is the present status of the tender?

Ian: The financial negotiations are in their final stages and we continue to respond to questions from the IAF and the Government as we have done throughout the competition. This has been a very long campaign and naturally we hope to see a good rate of progress in this final phase, but we understand that it is a complex acquisition and we are focused on being highly responsive to India’s concerns.

SP’s: What is status of the A400 M project and its customer base? In your view, is this platform suitable for India and why? Has Airbus Military offered this platform to the IAF?

Ian: We remain clear that we think the A400M will be of great interest to India in due course. Everyone who flies in aircraft is hugely impressed by it - so we are confident that we will have good grounds for discussion in India when everyone is ready. But naturally we recognise that this is a long-term aspiration and for now we are simply keeping everyone aware of its capabilities.

We are very focused on ensuring a smooth entry into service with France, Turkey and the other core nations, and we are concentrating our marketing efforts in South East Asia and the Middle East where we see the most promising near-term potential.

SP’s: What is the perception of the company of market prospects in India for its products in the long term?

Ian: India is an enormously important market for us and we are absolutely committed to building our presence here over the long term. We have learned a great deal about India’s defence needs in recent years and we continue to work diligently to understand future requirements and explain how we believe we can address many of them. And at the same time we are investing in India to ensure that we are a good partner in terms of, for example, research and development and industrial collaboration.

SP’s: What refinements, if any, would you suggest in the Defence Procurement Procedure?

Ian: We have great respect for the Indian procurement process which has successfully handled a large volume of complex acquisitions for many years and we are very happy to work within today’s guidelines and regulations as they evolve.

SP’s: If you look back two to three years from now, can you please recount which all success stories you are proud of and why?

Ian: We’re naturally extremely excited by our selection in the tanker contest and it will be a fantastic day when we finally see our aircraft entering service with the Indian Air Force. The aircraft is performing extremely well with other customers now and we’re confident of it being a great success in India. At the same time we would love to see the Avro replacement programme move ahead so that we can start forming strong relationships at the industrial level to the great benefit of Indian aerospace.