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Washington, D.C., December 14, 2003
EADS CASA’s C-295 military transport has demonstrated its mission capabilities during a North American tour for the U.S. Army that included short takeoff and landing operations, as well as parachute jumps of special operations forces.
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Using an C-295 from the Spanish Air Force inventory, the tour involved stopovers in four U.S. states – allowing the aircraft to be evaluated by U.S. Army Aviation personnel, the U.S. Army National Guard, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, the U.S. Army Southern Command and other potential users of the twin-engine aircraft.
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Jose Morales, EADS CASA North America’s President & CEO, said the tour provided a first-hand opportunity for Army military officers, flight crews and combat troops to appreciate the C-295’s multi-role mission capabilities.
“Feedback throughout the trip was extremely positive, with visitors giving the C-295 very high marks,” Morales said. “The Army was impressed by the aircraft’s excellent flight and handling qualities, its glass cockpit with night-vision goggle compatibility, the large cabin and rear ramp, its in-flight refueling capability and the self-protection measures with radar warning receiver and chaff dispenser.”
The C-295 – and its shorter-fuselage CN-235 derivative – can fulfill a range of U.S. Army mission requirements, including the airlift of cargo and supplies, deployment of troops and vehicles, aeromedical evacuation and liaison flights.
Both the C-295 and CN-235 share a high degree of commonality in systems and operational performance. The CN-235 maritime patrol version has been selected by the U.S. Coast Guard for its Integrated Coast Guard Deepwater (ICGS/IDS) program, and an EADS CASA training/spares/service center facility will be created in Mobile, Alabama to support the aircraft’s service entry in 2006.
“As replacements for aging medium-sized transports, the C-295 and CN-235 offer the right solutions for the U.S. Army’s desire to become an increasingly mobile force,” Morales explained.
One of the C-295’s strong points is its passenger/cargo cabin, which is the largest for any medium-sized airlifter. The unobstructed 41-ft.-long cabin allows for up to 20,392 lb. of payload to be transported, providing the airlift capacity for 75 troops, or 50 fully equipped paratroops, or five 463-L pallets. Other payload possibilities include transporting three Land Rover-type vehicles or three jet engines for combat aircraft.
“The C-295’s and the CN-235’s cabin cross-section and length are well matched to that of the Army’s Chinook helicopters – which is an extremely important plus for mobility, especially with the ongoing U.S. deployments in Iraq and elsewhere,” explained Bob Wood, EADS CASA North America’s Vice President of Product Support and Operations. “This allows the C-295 and Chinook to perform coordinated operations, and permits palletized cargo loads to be accommodated by both aircraft types without being broken down.”
Short-field capabilities of the C-295 were shown to the U.S. Army during a flight performed from a soft, semi-prepared airstrip near Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. The aircraft’s ability to make tactical takeoffs with a 2,000-ft. ground run was demonstrated, and Army special operational forces paratroopers made a free jump through the C-295’s rear ramp at an altitude of 12,500 ft.
EADS CASA builds the C-295 and CN-235 at its Seville, Spain facility, and the capacity to manufacture up to 20 aircraft annually enables production output to be boosted when needed for rapid deliveries to customers.
To date, the C-295 has been selected by the air forces of Brazil, Jordan, Poland, Spain and Switzerland for military transport and support missions, while the United Arab Emirates Navy has chosen the aircraft for maritime patrol duties. It complements the CN-235, which continues in full-scale production and has earned a worldwide reputation for reliability and supportability with the armed forces of 23 countries.
The C-295’s U.S. tour was organized by EADS CASA North America – an operating entity of the EADS North America holding company. Supporting the visit were Spain’s Defense Ministry and the Spanish Embassy in Washington.
Contacts:
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DIANE MURPHY VP, COMMUNICATIONS AND PR EADS North America Washington, D.C. |
Tel: 202 292 5183 diane.murphy@eadsnorthamerica.com |
