Airbus Military / CASA CN-235

Airbus Military History / CASA CN-235

Introduced in 1988, the CASA/IPTN CN-235 series attempted to carve a niche in the mid-lift tactical fixed-wing aircraft market. Some 273 pieces have been produced to date (2015), and these continue to be served widely, from Bangladesh and Botswana to Venezuela and Yemen. For some, the series has ended as a military tool, while others continue to buy the genre.

The CASA C-295 is a related development, introduced in 2001, while offering enhanced capabilities through a lengthened fuselage design, a Pratt & Whitney PW127G turboprop engine and greater cargo capacity. It is described in detail in a separate entry on this page.

The CN-295 was originally a joint venture between Spains CASA (Contruciones Aeronauticas SA) and Indonesias IPTN (Indonesia Aerospace) to design, develop and (separately) manufacture a viable tactical transport platform like the Locke at a competitive cost The size of the Sid C-130 "Hercules". As a result, the aircraft acquired the usual "tactical transport characteristics": a high/straight-wing main aircraft, short landing gear for low-profile ground operations, under-mounted engines to avoid ground movement, and a raised The tail, which allows good access to the fuselage of a cargo plane in the cabin.

The crew consists of two pilots and a flight engineer, and the cargo compartment can accommodate up to 51 seated passengers, 35 airborne troops, 18 medical stretchers or 4 supply trays. Maximum payload is approximately 13,100 lbs.

Power selected comes from 2 GE CT7-9C3 turboprop engines driving four bladed propeller assemblies, each rated at 1,750 hp. Cruising speed is 285 mph, range is up to 2,705 miles, and service is capped at 25,000 feet. The climb rate is 1,780 feet per minute.

The resulting prototype flew for the first time on November 11, 1983, and entered service on March 1, 1988. The first production models were 30 of the CN-235-10 models, 15 of which were produced by the two manufacturers and the General Electric GT7 powered by the -7A engine. CASA subsequently added 100 CN-235-100 branded aircraft with General Electric CT7-9C engines mounted in composite nacelles. In addition, improvements have been made to various in-vehicle components and systems.

The Indonesian airline industry added 110 of this brand.

CN-235-200/220 is considered an improved CN-235 with improvements throughout the construction, as well as better field performance and operating range. CASA has completed 200 of this standard and IPTN has added 220 to its own production. CN-235-300 introduces Honeywell-based avionics tweaks and some minor changes.

The CN-235-330 "Phoenix", based on the -200/-220 family of aircraft, was intended to compete with the Australian Project Air 5190 tactical transport aircraft, but failed. The CN-235 MPA became a dedicated maritime patrol design that could carry and launch anti-ship missiles (ASM) and air-launched torpedoes.

The HC-144 Ocean Sentinel became another special maritime development launched in 2009 and adopted by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) - 18 of this type were procured.

The AC-235 was developed in order to generate worldwide interest in an attack model with excellent handling and maneuverability. This gunship-focused form features a 30mm cannon (pointed sideways to tilt the plane), missile pods and rockets, and full radar capability for low-light/night work.

The design is intended to challenge the Lockheed AC-130 Hercules family of attack helicopters and similar platforms.

Some airlines manage small CN-235 inventories as passenger carriers, but these airlines have not had significant success in this role.

The CN-295 is still marketed as a "Low Cost Tactical Transporter" under the Airbus Defence and Space brand label (EADS and CASA merged to produce "EADS CASA" and merged into the Airbus Military brand in 2009). It has proven to be a versatile performer, providing Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) capability at groomed or rough airports, and is known as a reliable product.

The Airbus DS also made headlines for the difficult development of the A400M Atlas heavy transport aircraft (detailed elsewhere on this site) and the C-212 light transport aircraft.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes