Paris Air Show 2015: Saudi Arabia orders four Airbus C295W medium transport aircraft

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Paris Air Show 2015
International Paris Air Show
15 - 21 June 2015
Paris - Le Bourget, France
 
 
 
Paris Air Show 2015: Saudi Arabia orders four Airbus C295W medium transport aircraft
 
The Ministry of Interior of Saudi Arabia has purchased in open competition, and after carrying out a complete evaluation, four C295W aircraft to enhance its capabilities. The C295W has been chosen based on its demonstrated excellent operational capabilities in hot and severe conditions and its proven affordable maintenance and operational costs, Airbus Defence & Space announced on June 16 at Paris Air Show 2015.
     
The Ministry of Interior of Saudi Arabia has purchased in open competition, and after carrying out a complete evaluation, four C295W aircraft to enhance its capabilities. The C295W has been chosen based on its demonstrated excellent operational capabilities in hot and severe conditions and its proven affordable maintenance and operational costs, announced Airbus Defence & Space on June 16 at Paris Air Show 2015. Airbus Defence and Space C295W medium transport aircraft
     
We are very proud that the C295W is joining the Airbus A330 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker Transport and CN235 transports previously ordered by Saudi Arabia. We greatly appreciate the confidence shown in the C295W by a nation with long expertise in operating military aircraft in desert conditions”, said Antonio Rodríguez Barberán, Head of Commercial for Military Aircraft.

Together with the previous orders received from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan and Oman, this new order from Saudi Arabia cements the C295’s position as the market-leading medium transport and patrol aircraft in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Featuring winglets and uprated engines as standard, the C295W provides operators with enhanced performance in all flight phases but is particularly aimed at those operating at “hot and high“ airfields where payload increases in excess of 1,000kg are promised.

In intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) roles such as airborne early warning (AEW) the enhancements increase endurance by 30-60min and permit an operating altitude up to 2,000ft higher than now.

The new features installed on the C295W also provide an overall reduction in fuel consumption of around 4% depending on configuration and conditions.

The engines are the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127 turboprops which power all versions of the C295. New procedures recently certified by Canada and Spain permit operation in the climb and cruise phases at higher power settings at the discretion of the operator. As well as improved hot and high performance, the procedure improves operation over very high terrain such as the Andes or Himalaya mountains with only a minor influence on maintenance cost.