The Ministry of Defence of Thailand (Krasuang Kalahom) has placed a firm order for an additional Airbus C295 tactical airlifter. This repeat order for a new aircraft, to be operated by the Royal Thai Army, will increase the country’s Airbus C295 fleet to a total of three aircraft. The aircraft will be delivered in 2023, in utility transport configuration. The C295 plays a key role for the Royal Thai Army with missions ranging from cargo transport to medical evacuation and paratrooping deployment.
This new order from Thailand follows after a recent order for three C295 transport aircraft from an undisclosed military customer in the region. With a growing demand for multirole airlift capabilities, the C295 is becoming the new standard for tactical and humanitarian operations. This latest contract brings the total number of C295 ordered in the Asia Pacific region to 25. In Asia-Pacific, the C295 is operated by the armed forces of Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Johan Pelissier, Head of Asia Pacific at Airbus Defence and Space said: “This additional order from the Ministry of Defence speaks strongly of its continued confidence in our proven military transport capabilities. The C295 is gaining popularity in Asia Pacific due to its modularity, maneuverability and endurance capability. The low cost of operation compared to any other platform of its class makes it a good prospect for the militaries. We certainly look forward to supporting the growing C295 fleet in this region.”
The EAirbus C-295 is a twin-turboprop tactical military transport aircraft manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space in Spain, and Indonesian Aerospace in Indonesia as CN-295. The C-295 is manufactured and assembled in the Airbus Defence and Space facilities in San Pablo Airport, located in Seville, Spain. It is a development of the Spanish–Indonesian transport aircraft CASA/IPTN CN-235, but with a stretched fuselage, 50% more payload capability and new Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G turboprop engines.
