Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the first C295 in Search and Rescue (SAR) configuration to the Spanish Air and Space Force.
The aircraft, assembled at the Airbus Final Assembly Line in San Pablo, Seville, Spain, will perform its ferry flight in the coming days to join the 46th Wing at Gando Air Base in Gran Canaria.
As the natural replacement for the fleet of CN-235 VIGMA aircraft, the C295 SAR provides a leap in range and tactical capabilities. According to Airbus, it is fully optimised to conduct national and international search and rescue missions, as well as maritime security operations, and the prevention of illicit trafficking.
Airbus will also deliver two additional maritime surveillance C295 aircraft this year out of a total order of eight, alongside the first two C295 aircraft in transport configuration from the Spanish Ministry of Defence’s 2025 order. The delivery of the first C295 in Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) configuration for Spain, the most complex mission variant of the C295 to date, is planned for 2028.
To satisfy this growing global demand, Airbus is executing a production ramp up at its Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Seville, boosting its cadence from 10 to 13 C295 aircraft per year.