Angola receives first Airbus C295
Angola has received the first of three Airbus C295 aircraft ordered in April 2022. It has been configured for transport missions and will be able to carry out tactical cargo and troop transport tasks, paratrooping, load dropping or humanitarian missions.
The other two aircraft will be delivered in maritime patrol configuration with all three equipped with the Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion avionics suite. The maritime patrol variant will be fitted with the Airbus-developed Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS) mission system and other sensors.
At the time of the order Angola became the 10th African operator of the aircraft with a total of 44 aircraft on the continent. In total, 35 countries have ordered or fly the aircraft and 258 have been ordered, with approximately 182 delivered.
Equipped with retractable landing gear, a pressurised structure and short take-off and landing capabilities, the C295 can operate in austere locations.
Low fuel consumption and long endurance also ensure reduced operating costs and, thanks to its light footprint, the C295 can operate from soft (CBR2) unprepared airstrips.
The baseline variant has a 12.7m-long unobstructed cabin that can be used to transport 71 personnel or accommodate up to five standard 463L pallets.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
EuroDASS partners unveil details on next-gen EW system for Eurofighter Typhoon
The consortium has given details on the next-generation of sensing and jamming capabilities on the Eurofighter Typhoon without needing to update the airframe, according to the group’s partners.
-
Analysis: UK government goes on decommissioning spree to balance defence budget
UK defence secretary John Healey has announced the cancellation and decommissioning of naval and air force platforms to enable the government to “re-invest money in the armed forces” ahead of the upcoming Strategic Defence Review.
-
Typhoon remains “at heart of UK defence” despite claims production has stopped
BAE Systems Air business has reaffirmed its commitment to the Typhoon programme as union representatives from the company urge the UK government to order 24 Typhoon jets.