Airbus C-295 Persuader

Summary

Category	Transport aircraft
Origin country	🇪🇸 Spain 🇮🇩 Indonesia
First flight	28 November 1997
Year of introduction	2001
Number produced	209 units
Average unit price	$78 million

Description

During November 1996, the Spanish aerospace company CASA formally started development work on what would become the C-295, a derivative of the CASA/IPTN CN-235 transport aircraft. Principal differences included its stretched fuselage, a 50% increase in payload capacity, and the adoption of more powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G turboprop engines. On 28 November 1997, the first prototype performed its maiden flight. During April 1999, the Spanish Air Force placed the first order, seeking nine military transport aircraft. By December 1999, the C-295 was certificated as airworthy by both the Spanish Dirección General de Aviación Civil and the American Federal Aviation Administration, leading to deliveries commencing to the Spanish Air Force in November 2001.

The C-295 is a tactical transport aircraft, purposed for military use in the movement of personnel and cargo. The aircraft can operate from austere airstrips, with minimal ground support, and reportedly on soft ground even when heavily loaded. It features an auto-reverse capability, facilitating 180º turns on runways as narrow as 12 meters. Its cargo hold measures 12.69 × 1.90 × 2.70 meters and has the capacity for up to 71 soldiers, 24 stretchers and seven medical attendants, five standard 108" pallets of cargo, or three Land Rover-sized light vehicles, and is suitable for airdropping paratroopers and cargo. The cockpit has dual controls and is typically equipped with the Highly Integrated Avionics System (HIAS), based on the Thales digital Topdeck suite, along with an Integrated Engine Data and Warning System and a Honeywell RDR-1400C weather radar, while the avionics are designed to meet both civil and military standards, including FAR-25 requirements. Power is provided by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G turboprop engines, each providing up to 2,645 SHP (1,972 kW), coupled with six-bladed scimitar-shaped composite propellers manufactured by Hamilton Standard. The C-295 utilizes a retractable tricycle configuration undercarriage designed by Messier-Dowty.

Designed for multi-role operations, the C-295 can be outfitted with sensors and multi-mission radar. The maritime patrol/anti-submarine warfare version, designated as C-295 MPA/Persuader, has provisions for six hardpoints, while the armed C-295 ISR variant can be equipped with machine guns, small-caliber automatic cannons, rocket launchers, laser-guided bombs, and anti-tank missiles. For the Indian Navy and Coast Guard variants, weapon systems are slated to include NASM-SR, NASM-MR and Torpedo Advanced Light (TAL) as well as air-launched sonobuoys.

The first order for the C-295 came from the Spanish Air Force, with nine aircraft ordered in 2000 under the Future Medium Transport Aircraft II (FATAM II) program to replace CN-235s converted for maritime patrol and search-and-rescue roles. Poland was the first export customer, ordering eight aircraft in 2001 to supplement and eventually replace their Antonov An-26 transports, with deliveries beginning two years later. Indonesia has also been a key country for the C-295, with Indonesian Aerospace performing final assembly for domestic customers. Egypt became the largest operator of the C-295 during the 2010s, with a fleet of 21 aircraft as of April 2021 used for tactical and logistical transport. While most sales have been military, the C-295 has also been certified for civil purposes, with an Irish leasing company operating one for humanitarian operations in Africa. The Royal Canadian Air Force ordered 16 CC-295s in 2016 to replace its aging search and rescue aircraft, though initial operating capability has been delayed due to issues with the aircraft's equipment and software. The C-295 has faced competition in export sales from the C-27J Spartan, losing bids for programs such as the US Army–US Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program.

Main Variants:

C-295M: This is the military transport version, capable of carrying 71 troops, 48 paratroops, 27 stretchers, five 2.24 × 2.74 m pallets, or three light vehicles.
CN-295: This variant is produced locally by Indonesian Aerospace under license in Bandung, Indonesia.
C-295 MPA/Persuader: This is the maritime patrol/anti-submarine warfare version, which can be equipped with six hardpoints for various weapon systems.
C-295 AEW&C: This is a prototype airborne early warning and control version that features an EL/W-2090 360-degree radar dome with an integrated IFF system developed by Israel Aerospace Industries.
CC-295 Kingfisher: This is a dedicated search and rescue aircraft developed for the Royal Canadian Air Force, based on the C-295W platform.

Technical specifications

Version: C-295M
Maximum speed	576 km/h (358 mph)
Wing area	59 m² (635.1 sqft)
Wingspan	25.8 m (84.7 ft)
Height	8.6 m (28.2 ft)
Length	24.5 m (80.4 ft)
Service ceiling	7620 m (25000 ft)
Empty weight	9250 kg (20393 lbs)
Max. takeoff weight	23200 kg (51147 lbs)
Takeoff distance	671 m (2201 ft)
Powerplant	2 × turboprops Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G delivering 1972 kW

Current operating countries

Country		Units
	Egypt	22
	Spain	20
	Indonesia	17
	Poland	16
	Brazil	14
	Mexico	14
	Portugal	11
	United Arab Emirates	9
	Kazakhstan	8
	Oman	8
	Colombia	7
	Czech Republic	6
	Philippines	5 (+2)
	Algeria	5
	Canada	4 (+12)
	Uzbekistan	4
	Angola	3
	Chile	3
	Ecuador	3
	Finland	3
	Vietnam	3
	Ireland	2 (+2)
	Senegal	2 (+1)
	Thailand	2 (+1)
	Bangladesh	2
	Ghana	2
	Mali	2
	Ivory Coast	1 (+1)
	Burkina Faso	1
	India	0 (+56)
	Serbia	0 (+2)