The Republic of Angola has received its first Airbus C295 medium tactical transport aircraft, marking a significant enhancement in the nation’s airlift and surveillance capabilities. The delivery is part of a contract signed in April 2022 for three C295s, with the first aircraft handed over in a baseline cargo and troop transport configuration. The aircraft was delivered from Airbus’s Seville production line on 30 July 2024. The remaining two aircraft will be delivered in a maritime surveillance (MSA) configuration, expanding the Angolan Armed Forces (Força Aérea Nacional de Angola: FANA) operational versatility. FANA plans to utilize the twin-turboprop C295s for a wide range of missions, including humanitarian and disaster relief, transport, paradropping, maritime surveillance, search and rescue, fishing, and border protection.
The C295 has a strong track record in Africa, with the continent being the only region to have procured the aircraft every year since 2018. Egypt currently leads the fleet with 24 aircraft, making it the largest operator of the C295 worldwide, although India is expected to surpass this number. The C295’s journey in Africa began in 2004 with Algeria as the first country to acquire the aircraft, currently operating six in transport configuration. Other recent customers in the region include Gabon, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Senegal. African C295 operators have collectively reached over 100,000 flight hours since operations began in 2005. The aircraft’s versatility and reliability have made it a popular choice for both large and small fleets across the continent, demonstrating its suitability for diverse missions and operating environments.
The Airbus C295 (previously CASA C-295) is a medium tactical transport aircraft that was designed and initially manufactured by the Spanish aerospace company CASA, which is now part of the European multinational Airbus Defence and Space division. Work on what would become the C-295 was started during the 1990s as a derivative of the successful CASA/IPTN CN-235 transport aircraft. On 28 November 1997, the prototype performed its maiden flight; quantity production commenced shortly thereafter. In April 1999, the Spanish Air Force became its launch customer with an order for nine military-configured C-295s; two years later, the type was declared operational with the service.
The C295 has earned its reputation as the reference in Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA), thanks to the combination of an optimum platform and a state-of-the-art mission system, proven in operational service for maritime and overland surveillance, as well as search and rescue missions. At the heart of the C295 MSA’s mission equipment is Airbus’ Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS) – an advanced and modern system with high-definition touchscreen displays and an intuitive human/machine interface that provides data fusion and a single maritime picture to the operators. Even with the FITS consoles installed at the front, the C295’s long cabin enables the aircraft to be used for other roles, such as the transportation of troops, cargo and personnel transport, and for medical evacuation (MEDEVAC).
