Royal Canadian Air Force chooses Airbus for FWSAR

On 8 December, the Government of Canada announced that it had selected the Airbus C295W for its Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue Program (FWSAR).

As part of FWSAR, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) will purchase 16 C295W planes modified for search and rescue. The contract will also include in service support, provided through a joint venture between Airbus Defence and Space and PAL Aerospace.

The manufacturer noted that the C295W features Canadian components such Pratt & Whitney Canada engines, while pilots will be trained at a new facility developed by CAE, and the electro-optical systems for FWSAR will be provided by L3 Wescam.

The C295Ws will be delivered starting three years after contract award.