The Spanish Ministry of Defense has ordered 16 Airbus C295 aircraft in Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) configurations. The contract value is 1.695 billion euros.
These new aircraft will enable the Spanish Air Force and the Spanish Navy to strengthen the nation’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities and increase and strengthen surveillance, reconnaissance and search and rescue forces.
“The aircraft will be completely designed and manufactured in Spain, promoting the nation’s industrial defense base and sovereignty,” said Mike Schellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defense and Space. “In particular, the Maritime Patrol version is his most complex C295 mission configuration to date. It is a major development project that brings together the latest technologies to provide operational advantages to our customers.”
The contract also includes training systems (full flight simulator and mission system simulator) and an initial logistics support package.
The C295 MPA will perform the mission previously performed by the P-3 Orion fleet, which will be retired at the end of 2022. It will be equipped to carry out anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Similarly, it will be able to carry weapons such as torpedoes and other types of weapon systems.
MPA configurations are highly connected and can operate in cooperative mode with other platforms from different domains. The aircraft will serve as a flight command and control center, providing the Spanish military with the versatility to perform a wide range of missions.
The C295 MSA is the natural successor to the CN-235 VIGMA aircraft fleet, which has been in service with the Spanish Air Force since 2008. It is mainly equipped for maritime and land operations such as anti-smuggling and anti-illicit activities. counter-immigration and drug-trafficking operations, and domestic and international search and rescue operations. There is a high degree of synergy between both configurations. The Spanish Air Force also operates 13 Airbus C295s in transport configuration. The aircraft will be assembled at Airbus’ military facility in Seville.
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