Aircraft

Poland is to expand its fleet of C-295 tactical transports to 12, after awarding EADS Casa a contract to deliver a further two aircraft during 2008. The 30 October deal follows the receipt by the Polish air force of two C-295s in August and September under a deal signed in 2006. Warsaw in 2001 placed a launch order for eight of the type, the first of which entered service in 2003.

© EADS Casa

EADS Casa says the recent Polish deliveries take to 39 the number of C-295s delivered from its order total for 60 of the aircraft. The operational C-295 fleet, which incorporates aircraft in use by the air forces of Algeria, Brazil, Finland, Jordan and Spain, has now amassed more than 38,000 flight hours, it says. Chile and Portugal have yet to receive their first examples under combined orders for 15 of the transport and maritime patrol aircraft.

Poland's C-295 acquisition forms part of a modernisation programme launched several years ago by the NATO member. This has also seen it order 48 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D fighters, around 24 of which have been delivered.