EADS CASA C-295

C-295
A Spanish C-295
Role	Transport aircraft/Maritime patrol aircraft
Manufacturer	EADS CASA
First flight	November 28, 1997
Introduction	2001
Status	Active service
Primary users	Spanish Air Force Brazilian Air Force Polish Air Force Portuguese Air Force
Produced	1997-present
Number built	78
Developed from	CASA CN-235

C-295 exhibited at ILA 2002

C-295 AEW prototype at the Royal International Air Tattoo in 2011

The EADS CASA C-295 is a twin-turboprop tactical military transport aircraft manufactured by Airbus Military in Spain.

Design and development

The C-295 is a further development of the commercially successful Spanish transport aircraft CASA CN-235, but with a stretched fuselage, 50% more payload capability and new PW127G turboprop engines. The C-295 made its maiden flight in 1998. The first order came from the Spanish Air Force.

The aircraft is manufactured and assembled in the Airbus Military facilities in the San Pablo Airport, in Seville, Spain.

Operational history

The C-295 is in service with the Armed Forces of 14 countries. As of 4 August 2011, 85 C295s have been contracted and 75 are in service, one was lost in an accident.

The C-295 was also a major bidder for the US Army/US Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) which was awarded to the L-3 Communications/Alenia team on June 13, 2007. The C-295 was considered a higher risk by the Army due to its use of a new operational mode to meet altitude and range requirements.

The C-295 is a candidate to replace the Canadian Forces's DHC-5 Buffalos.

This aircraft, along with the C-27J Spartan, is also a candidate to replace the Indonesian Air Force's Fokker F27s and the Peruvian Air Force's Antonov An-32s.

In November 2011, the Australian Department of Defence put out a request for information on the C-295 and C-27J as a belated replacement for Australia's already retired de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou.

Variants

C-295M

Miltary transport version. Capacity for 73 troops, 48 paratroops, 27 stretchers, five 2.24 × 2.74 m (88 × 108 inches) pallets or three light vehicles.

C-295MPA/Persuader

Martime patrol/anti-submarine warfare version. Provision for six hardpoints.

AEW&C

Prototype airborne early warning and control version with 360 degree radar dome. The AESA radar was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and has an integrated IFF (Identification friend or foe) system.

Operators

CASA C-295 operators:

  C-295M users.

  C-295 Persuader users

  Both versions users.

CASA C-295 of the Polish Air Force, at the Radom Air Show in 2005

EADS CASA C-295 of the Brazilian Air Force in special markings for RIAT 2009

Algeria

• The Algerian Air Force received six C-295s for transport and maritime patrol.

Brazil

• The Brazilian Air Force received 12 aircraft, designated C-105A Amazonas, to replace the ageing DHC-5/C-115 Buffalo transports.

Chile

• The Chilean Navy recently purchased three C-295 MPA to replace their ageing P-3ACH Orions. Chile has options on a further five aircraft to replace a combined fleet of eight Embraer EMB-111 Bandeirante and three Casa C-212As.

Colombia

• The Colombian Air Force ordered four C-295s, the last of which was delivered in April 2009.

Czech Republic

• The Czech Air Force ordered four C-295Ms that replaced their Antonov An-26s, with all delivered in 2010. They are based at Kbely Air-Base.

Egypt

• The Egypt Air Force have ordered three aircraft for tactical and logistical transport. First delivery was on 24 September 2011.

Finland

• The Finnish Air Force operates two C-295Ms and has an order for one additional C-295M (the plane will be equipped with an ESM / ELINT system designed by Lockheed Martin) for delivery in 2013. There is an option for four more additional aircraft.

Ghana

• The Ghanaian Air Force ordered two C-295s to replace its Fokker F-27s. The first aircraft was delivered on 18 November 2011.

Indonesia

• The Indonesian Air Force have ordered nine aircraft for tactical and logistical transport. Three planes will be assembled in Indonesia by PT Dirgantara Indonesia, the same company which built the CN-235, the C-295's predecessor. The first delivery is predicted for 2012 and all aircraft will have been delivered by the summer of 2014.

Jordan

• The Royal Jordanian Air Force received two aircraft.

Kazakhstan

• The Kazahk Air Force have ordered two C-295s for delivery and six aircraft due later.

Mexico

• The Mexican Air Force operates 6 C-295Ms. 4 more in order. They are operating in the 301th Squadron with the IAI Arava in Santa Lucia AFB.
• The Mexican Navy operates four C-295s. They are based at Tapachula Air Naval Base.

Poland

• The Polish Air Force has received 12 aircraft that replaced their Antonov An-26s. One aircraft crashed on 24 January 2008, the other 11 are in service at Kraków-Balice Air Base.

Portugal

• The Portuguese Air Force received 12 C-295s, including five Persuader Maritime Patrol Aircraft, to replace the C-212 Aviocar. They are based at Montijo Air Base, near Lisbon.

Spain

• The Spanish Air Force received 13 aircraft (designated T.21).

Incidents

Mirosławiec air accident: on January 23, 2008 a Polish Air Force CASA C-295 flying from Warsaw via Powidz and Krzesiny to Mirosławiec crashed during its approach to the 12th Air Base near Mirosławiec. All passengers and crew aboard were killed. The number of victims were 20. All Polish C-295s were grounded after the incident. Polish defence minister Bogdan Klich dismissed five air force personnel after the accident investigation, which concluded that multiple failings contributed to the 23 January crash.

The Czech Army grounded its fleet of four CASA C-295Ms on October 31, 2011 due to equipment failure. A Navigation Display and other equipment "stopped working during landing" in a plane flying in from Seville, Spain, on October 30. Czech Army spokesperson Mira Trebicka said in a statement: "One of the two engines then stopped working." The two pilots managed to land with one engine. Army General Vkastimil Picek has ordered the immediate grounding of all aircraft, until the inquiry has ended.
The aircraft were already grounded in February, following a severe drop in altitude in mid-flight and again in May, after problems with an avionics system.

Specifications (C-295M)

Data from Airbus Military c-295.ca

General characteristics

• Crew: Two
• Capacity: 71 troops
• Payload: 9,250 kg (20,392 lbs)
• Length: 24.50 m (80 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 25.81 m (84 ft 8 in)
• Height: 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)
• Wing area: 59 m² (634.8 ft²)
• Loaded weight: 9,250 kg (20,392 lbs)
• Max. takeoff weight: 23,200 kg (51,146 lbs)
• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G Hamilton Standard 586-F (six bladed), 1,972 kW (2,645 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 576 km/h (311 knots, 358 mph)
• Cruise speed: 480 km/h (260 knots, 300 mph)
• Range: 4,300 km (2,600 mi) 2,300 nmi; (with 4,550 kilograms (10,000 lb) payload)
• Range with full payload: 1,333 km (828 mi; 720 nmi)
• Ferry range: 5,220 km (3,240 mi; 2,820 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 7,620 m (25,000 ft)
  

• Takeoff run: 670 m (2,200 ft)
• Landing run: 320 m (1,050 ft)

See also

Related development

• CASA CN-235
  

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• C-27J Spartan
  

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0 7106 2537 5.
• Munson, Kenneth. "Andalusian Airlifter - CASA C-295". Air International, Vol 75, No. 5, November 2008. pp. 32–37.

External links

• EADS product sheet (PDF)
• C-295M Twin Turboprop Transport Aircraft, Spain
• Spanish Air Force P-3B Modernisation (PDF)
• Team JCA's C-295/CN-235 Transport Aircraft Fleet Completes 1 Million Flights
• Team JCA's C-295 Advances to Phase II Evaluation for Joint Cargo Aircraft Program.
• Military Services Competing For Future Airlift Missions
• Photo gallery of Polish CASA C-295M