C-295 AEW, Billypix
21/06/11 By Craig Hoyle SOURCE:Flight Daily News
Airbus Military has brought a surprise debutante to the show, with its airborne early warning-styled C-295 having first been flown in modified form just three weeks ago.
Now equipped with a roughly 6m (20ft)-diameter rotodome, the aircraft provides a glimpse of a possible future variant of the C-295, which has already seen use as a medium transport, maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.
Launched near Seville, Spain, on 7 June, a roughly three-month flight test campaign will assess the aerodynamic effects of the dummy rotodome's structural installation. Customer interest could drive Airbus Military to consider further development activities, with the company saying a production system could provide an operational endurance of 7-8h.
The work could also inform any future consideration to offer an AEW-configured version of the A320.
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