March 9, 2007
The first C-295M transport for the Finnish Air Force has been delivered by EADS, arriving during the military service’s 89th anniversary celebration at Tikkakoski Air Base this week.
Finland ordered two C-295s in May 2006, and also has a purchase option for another five to replace the Air Force’s current fleet of Fokker F.27s. The C-295Ms are quickly reconfigurable, and are ideally suited for the transport of troops and material both in Finland and abroad as part of international missions. They also will be available for medical and other evacuation tasks in connection with civil crisis management missions.
The arrival ceremony for Finland’s initial C-295M was attended by Lieutenant General Heikki Lyytinen, Commander in Chief of the Finnish Air Force; Mauri Pekkarinen of the Finnish Ministry of Energy; and EADS CASA Chairman Francisco Fernández Sáinz.
To date, EADS has booked international orders for 52 C-295s, of which 25 already are in operation. Current C-295 customers are the military services of Poland, Portugal and Spain in Europe, along with Jordan, Brazil and Algeria.
In addition, the C-295 is competing in the Joint Cargo Aircraft program for U.S. Army and Air Force intratheater airlift requirements, and is offered for Canada’s maritime patrol/search and rescue missions.
