Airbus Presents The First 03 C295 MSAs For The Spanish Air Force And Space.

San Pablo Factory, Seville; May 2026: The Spanish Air Force and Space Force will soon receive its first 03 C295s in the maritime surveillance version (MSA – Maritime Surveillance Aircraft), as announced on its social media by the multinational Airbus Defence & Space, which presented the 03 new multi-engine aircraft at the San Pablo factory (Seville), where the Final Assembly Line (FAL) of this Spanish-designed aircraft is located.

The new aircraft are already painted in air superiority grey and display the markings and titles of the Spanish Air Force, although without the “and Space” designation. They also incorporate discreet emblems of Wing 46, which will be the first unit to operate them over the extensive Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the Canary Islands, from Gando Air Base (Gran Canaria), as reported by defence.com last February.

According to official information from Airbus DS, these C295 MSAs have completed all ground tests and painting, although they are still awaiting the corresponding test flights, which are necessary for the Program Office of the Directorate General of Armament and Material (DGAM) to proceed with their acceptance. This is the step prior to their delivery to the final customer, the Spanish Air Force and Space Force.

The C295 MSA aircraft will gradually replace the veteran CN235 Maritime Surveillance (VIGMA) aircraft, which perform a wide range of missions, from supporting rescue operations and ensuring the safe arrival in Spain of irregular migrant vessels to gathering intelligence against illicit activities such as smuggling and drug trafficking. However, their primary role is to guarantee search and rescue (SAR) capabilities in the three areas of Spanish responsibility. They will also operate from Djibouti in support of Operation Atalanta, aimed at combating piracy in Somali waters.

These are the first deliveries of the 16 C295 aircraft ordered by the Ministry of Defence in December 2023. The order includes eight units in the MSA version and eight in the variant with enhanced maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare capabilities, designated Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW), respectively. The contract is valued at €1,695 billion.

Team Maverick.