Airbus Military has begun flight-testing a modification to add
winglets to the C295 medium transport and surveillance aircraft – one of
a series of product developments underway on the market-leading type.
By
increasing the lift-drag ratio the winglets are expected to improve
performance in the takeoff, climb and cruise phases of the flight. For
the C295 these extensions would contribute to hot and high runway
performance, increased range and endurance, and reduced fuel consumption
– driving lower operating costs.
The first flight of the
wingletted Airborne Early Warning (AEW) configured aircraft took place
in Spain on 21 December. Data from the flight test program will help
evaluate the potential benefit and feasibility to incorporate winglets
into the C295 design.
Extending the mission endurance of this aircraft is considered a
critical requirement for Airbus Military, in order to meet the
Indonesian Air Force requirement for Airborne Early Warning aircraft.
Indonesia is already shopping for such aircraft, and, according to Air
Force Chief of Staff ACM Imam Sufaat, larger platforms would be required
for the country’s AEW mission, particularly in terms of endurance. It
is expected that the improvements gained by those winglets would be
sufficient to get the C295 into the game. The Indonesian market is
considered a strategic market for the aircraft. In early 2012 Indonesia
placed an order for nine C295 aircraft, the first delivered by the end
of last year. Airbus Military is also helping its local partner PT
Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) to modernize its manufacturing facilities
to enable local assembly of these planes.
Few months earlier
Airbus Military and missile developer MBDA performed flight
demonstration of an armed C295 maritime patrol aircraft, carrying an
instrumented Marte MK2/S anti-ship inert missile installed under the
left wing. The flight was the first of a series of trials planned in a
joint Airbus Military – MBDA collaboration to validate the aerodynamic
integration of Marte on the C295. Subsequent flights will include
handling qualities tests and aircraft flight performance tests. The C295
will be the first fixed-wing aircraft configuration for the missile.
Marte Mk2/S is already integrated on the AW-101 and the NFH-90 naval
helicopters.
