The purchase was made for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Fixed Wing Search and Rescue Aircraft Replacement project, The aircraft, designated CC-295 for the Canadian customer, landed at its home base on 17 September and is the first of the 16 aircraft contracted in December 2016.

An important milestone for Airbus

The contract also includes all In-Service Support elements, training and engineering services, the construction of a new training centre in Comox, British Columbia, and maintenance and support services.

Airbus Defence and Space Chief Executive Officer, Dirk Hoke, said during a video statement: "Airbus is really proud to be able to celebrate this important milestone: the arrival of the first out of 16 Fixed Wing Search and Rescue C295 at the Canadian Forces Base Comox.

“Thanks to the excellent collaboration with Canadian officials we have overcome the challenges caused by Covid-19 and we were able to deliver the aircraft. Despite the current pandemic, we are confident of achieving the program target of six deliveries by the end of this year. We look forward to our continued collaboration and to the C-295 Canada.”

E-deliveries during Covid-19

Airbus has formally delivered three aircraft to date, the second of which is scheduled to arrive in the country in the coming weeks. Deliveries will continue until 2022.

Indonesia’s PT. Smart Cakrawala Aviation had become the first customer in the Asia Pacific region to take delivery of Airbus’ new H130 helicopter through a specially arranged e-acceptance process, which complies with Covid-19 health and safety regulations.