15.04.2011 O Ministro da Defesa Nacional, Augusto Santos Silva, estará presente esta terça-feira, dia 19 de Abril, pelas 15 horas, na Base Aérea 6, no Montijo, na cerimónia de implementação do Initial Operational Capability da aeronave C-295M VIMAR.Programa:15h00 – Chegada dos convidados15h30 – Apresentação da Aeronave C-295M VIMAR16h15 – Visita sala de planeamento da missão à aeronave C-295M VIMAR estacionada16h45 – Briefing na Esquadra 75117h00 – Ponto de Imprensa
By VMSB The Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa-FAP) has recently received its last C-295M Persuader maritime patrol aircraft. Portugal operates now five aircraft configured for maritime surveillance operations. The type which is called C-295M VIMAR (VIgilância MARítima) includes specific equipments including the ELTA Systems Ltd 2022-A(V)3 maritime surveillance radar and FLIR Systems Inc Star Safire HD high-definition multi-sensor surveillance system and a pod configured searchlight. Portugal has also procured three FITS (Fully Integrated Tactical System) tactical mission system in a modular configuration. Two of the VIMARs include provisions for the installation of an airborne reconnaissance payload called SRFOT (Sistema de Reconhecimento FOTográfico).Both variants are equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada PW-127G engines, Elisra Electronic Systems Ltd SPS-1000(V)5 self protection suite, Northrop Grumman AN/APN-241 tactical navigation radar and Thales TopDeck avionics suite. The delivery of the last VIMAR aircraft marks the delivery of twelve C-295M aircraft procured by the company DEFAERLOC Locação de Aeronaves Militares SA (part of EMPORDEF-Empresa Portuguesa de Defesa SGPS SA) to Airbus Military for an amount of EUR275 Million. The remaining 7 aircraft are configured for tactical and general transport including the transport of fully equipped troops, paratroopers, cargo and passengers.The fleet is operated by the 502 Squadron “Elefantes” at Montijo air base Nº6. The C-295Ms progressively replace the C-212-100A1/A2 Aviocar and C-212-300 Patrullero aircraft.The aircraft operates as well from Lajes air base Nº4 in the Azores archipelago.Portuguese C-295Ms can perform as well as Search and Rescue (SAR) and ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) missions and be equipped with the AN/ALQ-131 electronic countermeasures pod.
Airbus Military C295 AWACS: Will It Take Off?Airbus Military as early as next month could be flying a C295 prototype modified for use as an airborne early warning and control system following a self-funded technology assessment effort.Three months of flight testing are planned, says Miguel-Angel Morrell Fuentes, Airbus Military Head of Engineering.It is a crowded market, but Airbus hopes that the operating cost benefits for the C295 will help it secure customers. The feasibility study was launched in the second half of last year and concluded around year end, before a decision was taken to build the prototype.The dummy rotodome was installed on the C295 on May 17. It measures around 6 meters in diameter. Airbus Military has opted for a rotodome because it provides better performance with 360 deg. coverage, Morrell says. Flight testing will look at the drag effects of the radar. No specific radar has been selected at this point. Those decisions would not be made until the company decides to actually launch a program. The engineering assessment of flight testing first needs to be completed.
06/14/2011: During the Airbus Trade Media event, the 502 Squadron Commander, Major Dina Azevedo, discussed the mission sets, which the Command performed, and how they used the C-295M in meeting mission needs. She has been based at Seville, Spain as part of the initial acceptance team and then became the Squadron commander. The Portuguese are receiving 12 C-295Ms for transport, search and rescue, medical evacuation, with five optimized for maritime surveillance and two for photo reconnaissance.The normal operational areas are contiguous Portuguese waters and the Mediterranean, although obviously can be deployed globally with proper support capabilities. The planes can operate for 10 hours on average at a cruising speed of 240 knots.The Portuguese are using the aircraft to provide for a wide range of mission sets. They will configure their planes for general transport or VIP transport or medical evacuation mission sets. Search and rescue is a core mission capability, and photoreconnaissance capabilities used for a variety of maritime surveillance missions important to Portugal.She discussed fisheries surveillance, monitoring and controlling illicit activities, monitoring and controlling maritime traffic, and pollution monitoring and control.Having the core capabilities perform such safety and security missions’ means as well the Squadron can support military missions in the maritime environment.The slides in the slideshow focus largely on her discussion of the customization of the aircraft to provide for reconnaissance and surveillance missions. The point was driven home that the aircraft has several capabilities integrated by the Service to provide for surveillance, monitoring and enforcement maritime activities......
Previous PostBy VMSBTomorrow 06 November, the Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa-FAP) will officially withdraw from operational service its Airbus Military C-212 Aviocar medium tactical aircraft.Portugal has received a total of 24 C-212-100-A1/A2/B2 Aviocar transport aircraft and two C-212-300 Patrullero maritime surveillance aircraft. The fleet was replaces by 7 Airbus Military C-295M transport aircraft and by five C-295M Persuader maritime surveillance aircraft.
C-295M - Inscrição "Força Aérea Portuguesa"26.10.2012 Aterrou na Base Aérea Nº6, no dia 25 de outubro, a primeira aeronave C-295M com a inscrição “Força Aérea Portuguesa” na fuselagem, após conclusão de trabalhos de manutenção efetuados nas instalações da AirBus Military, em Sevilha.Esta aeronave, com o número de cauda 16704, é a primeira da frota C-295M a ter incorporada a inscrição “Força Aérea Portuguesa”. As restantes aeronaves irão receber de forma gradual esta inscrição, que tem por finalidade reforçar a identificação das mesmas em contexto de operações conjuntas e combinadas.
