Finland Orders C-295 Light Transports

Finnish C-295M

In May 2006, the Finnish Air Force officially selected EADS CASA’s C-295M as its next generation tactical transport aircraft. They will replace Finland’s aging Fokker F-27 transports at Tikkakoski AB, as the older aircraft are decommissioned in 2015. This decision finalizes a selection process that took over 18 months, including flights in both near-arctic and hot summer conditions. The C-295M’s standard competitor is Alenia’s C-27J Spartan; each type has won some competitions, and lost others. The C-295 won this one.

May 2010 saw a follow-on order, and then a special aircraft modification, which helped create a global product offering for Lockheed Martin.

Rapid Fire July 9, 2012: Flying in a Furnace

• France has begun qualification trials of Sagem/MBDA’s dual-mode laser/GPS-guided SBU-64 AASM Hammer rocket-assisted smart bombs.

• Meanwhile, Raytheon found a novel way to integrate its competing Enhanced Paveway laser/GPS smart bombs onto France’s Rafale fighters – go wireless.

• The first 2 radar “faces” for the new Hobart Class air defense destroyer have arrived in Australia. They’ll be part of Hobart’s AN/APY-1D (V), which has 3 faces.