France takes delivery of CN235
Airbus Military has delivered the first of eight CN235 medium airlifters to the Flight Test Centre of the Direction Générale de l’Armament (DGA) of the French Ministry of Defence (MOD). The aircraft, ordered by the DGA during 2010, will be operated by the French Air Force.
The French Air Force already operates 19 CN295 aircraft, and the remaining seven on order are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2012.
The CN235 can carry up to six tonnes of payload and its cabin can be quickly and easily reconfigured for different transport missions: troops, paratroops, medical evacuation, cargo, or a mixed configuration of cargo and troops. It incorporates a specialised loading system for palletized loads.
According to Airbus Military, the flexibility and reliability of the CN235 make it an ideal tool for the French Air Force to conduct both traditional military and civic missions. Its short take-off and landing (STOL) performance and its ability to use unprepared and semi-prepared runways allow the CN235 to operate closer to the theatre of operations than other aircraft. This is often crucial when the CN235 is used to transport humanitarian relief after a natural disaster, allowing rapid delivery of supplies closer to where they are needed.
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