Kazakhstan Orders An Additional C295 Transport Aircraft From Airbus
Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee Aviation Service has ordered an additional C295 military transport aircraft from Airbus Defense and Space to expand its airlift capabilities. Jean-Brice Dumont, Airbus Defense’s Vice President of Military Aircrafts, announced the important development in a post on his X account. “We have received a confirmed order from the Republic of Kazakhstan for a third C295 aircraft in transport configuration” Dumont wrote in his post.
Kazakhstan’s new order expands on the country’s long-standing collaboration with Airbus Defense to replace obsolete Soviet-era transport aircraft. Kazakhstan first signed a contract with Airbus in 2010 for the purchase of two C295 aircraft. The two parties then signed additional contracts over time, bringing the total order to ten aircraft. The Kazakh Air Force received the first two aircraft on January 15, 2013, and the final aircraft in the first quarter of 2023. These new aircraft replaced the existing Antonov An-26s and were assigned to the Kazakhstan Air Force’s air transport squadrons at Almaty and Zhetygen bases.
In addition to the C295 program, Kazakhstan has ordered two A400M military transport aircraft from Airbus Defense and Space in 2021. The contract includes a full suite of maintenance and training support, with the first aircraft expected to be delivered in 2024. Along with the agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed to collaborate on maintenance and overhaul services, with the first step being the establishment of a local C295 maintenance center.
The C295 is a versatile tactical transport aircraft utilized by over 30 countries, including Spain, Poland, Canada, Portugal, and the Republic of Ireland. It is capable of a wide range of operations, such as personnel and cargo transport, maritime patrol, aerial warning, surveillance and reconnaissance, signal intelligence, armed close air support and medical evacuation, VIP transport, and aerial firefighting.
The C295 has a maximum cruising speed of 260 kts and is powered by two modern Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G twin turboprop engines. The aircraft can carry up to nine tons of cargo, or 71 troops, and has a maximum takeoff weight of 23,200 kg and a range of 5,630 kilometers. The C295, with retractable landing gear and a 12.69-meter-long pressurized cabin, can cruise at 30,000 feet and fly for up to 13 hours. This aircraft’s landing gear distinguishes it from the Antonov An-26 aircraft of the Kazakh Air Defense, allowing it to take off and land on difficult and short runways.