Canadian Airbus C-295 SAR Squadron Christened 'Kingfisher'

The first Airbus C295 aircraft, purchased by the Government of Canada for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) Fixed Wing Search and Rescue Aircraft Replacement (FWSAR) project, arrived at 19 Wing, Canadian Forces Base Comox, in British Columbia, Canada.

The aircraft, designated CC-295 for the Canadian customer, landed at its home base on September 17th and is the first of the 16 aircraft contracted in December 2016. The new fleet will be called "Kingfisher.”

The contract also includes all In-Service Support elements, training and engineering services, the construction of a new training centre in Comox, British Columbia, and maintenance and support services.

Airbus has formally delivered three aircraft to date, the second of which is scheduled to arrive in country in the coming weeks. Deliveries will continue until 2022.

The company collaborated with key Canadian firms for the project and other ventures on the C-295. Those include PAL Aerospace on in-service support, Pratt & Whitney Canada for engines, CAE for training and simulation, and L3 Wescam for the electro-optic sensors.