Mozambique’s Air Force has taken delivery of an Airbus C-295W as it continues to expand its transport fleet.
Mozambique’s Air Force acquired a refurbished Casa medium-range CN-235M and a short-range Let-410 turbojet from South Africa’s Paramount Group in late 2022. Air Force officials at the time of delivery said the two aircraft would be used to transport cargo and troops and deploy special forces and paratroopers. Paramount supplied the aircraft as well as training and maintenance, according to defenceWeb.
The company also has delivered several refurbished helicopters
to Mozambique and three Mwari multirole aircraft. These have been used in northern Mozambique since December 2022 to combat a terrorist insurgency.
“For Mozambique, the C295W promises to be a game-changer,” reported Military Africa. “Its ability to perform in austere environments and adapt to multiple roles — from troop transport to humanitarian missions — will bolster the Air Force’s capacity to respond to crises, whether combating insurgencies or delivering aid in the wake of natural disasters. With a coastline stretching over 2,500 kilometers and a history of security and logistical challenges, Mozambique stands to benefit significantly from this strategic addition.”
The C-295 is becoming a preferred transport plane throughout Africa. Angola has taken delivery of the first of three new C-295 transports. Two of the aircraft will be equipped for maritime surveillance with an Airbus-developed fully integrated tactical mission system. It includes a search radar, electro-optical sensors, magnetic anomaly detector and other avionics. Weapons can include torpedoes, missiles, mines and depth charges.
The Airbus C-295 is a tactical transport aircraft designed for missions such as troop and cargo transport, maritime patrol, airborne warning, surveillance and reconnaissance, armed close air support, medical evacuation, and firefighting. Airbus says it can carry up to 8 metric tons of payload or up to 70 troops at a maximum cruise speed of 260 knots. It can be equipped for air-to-air refueling of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
Egypt has acquired 26 of the transport planes, and Algeria has six. Equatorial Guinea has two on order, Mali has two, Ghana has three, and Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon each have one, according to Airbus. Senegal has one with another on the way. In total, at least 10 countries in Africa operate or have ordered a total of 44 aircraft, and these have reached more than 100,000 flight hours since 2005.