Following our Scramble Facebook News report of 20 September 2018 *, on 8 March 2019, the first of sixteen new Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CC-295 (C295SAR) fixed-wing Search and Rescue aircraft rolled off the assembly line in Seville (Spain).
First delivery is expected in late 2019, with operational service within RCAF in Spring of 2020.
This aircraft (construction number 183) is the first of sixteen to be built following a contract award to Airbus Defence and Space in December 2016. The CC-295, as it has been designated by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), will replace the CC-115 Buffalo and CC-130H fleets in the fixed-wing search and rescue role.
The RCAF will operate the new fleet from 19 Wing Comox (B.C) with 442 Search and Rescue Squadron, 17 Wing Winnipeg (Man.) with 435sq, 8 Wing Trenton (Ont.) with 424sq, and 14 Wing Greenwood (N.S.) with 413sq. A training center for CC-295 aircrew and maintainers is also being built at 19 Wing Comox.