One Of 12 Planes Under 2005 Deal

On Monday, EADS CASA delivered the first of four C-295 military transport aircraft scheduled for the Brazilian Air Force before the end of the year.

The ceremony took place in Brasilia, and was attended by Brazilian Minister of Defense Walter Pires,; Luis Carlos da Silva Bueno, Brazilian Chief of Air Staff; Francisco Jose Garcia de la Vega, Spanish Chief of Air Staff; and Francisco Fernandez Sainz, Chairman of EADS CASA.

"We are very proud of delivering this first aircraft to the Brazilian Air Force today," said Sainz. "Customer satisfaction has always been our main objective and we want to thank our Brazilian industrial partners for their outstanding job and collaboration in helping us to reach this goal"

The plane is the first to be delivered under a contract signed by the Brazilian government and EADS CASA in April 2005, to supply Brazil with 12 C-295 military transport aircraft and to modernize a fleet of eight P-3BR maritime patrol aircraft. These were the first defense contracts between these two countries.

The C-295 aircraft delivered Monday is part of the CL-X program, dedicated to supply the Brazilian Air Force with medium transport aircraft to support activities related with the Amazon Protection System (SIPAM) and the Calha Norte Project, fundamentally social activities, to support people in remote areas of the Amazon, with difficult access by other means of transportation.

The 12 C-295s will replace the BAF C-115 Buffalo fleet, and will also support the C-130 Hercules in the Brazilian Air Force.

FMI: www.casa.eads.net/