Global major aerospace group Airbus has highlighted the relevance of its C295 aircraft to the South African market, with the company also looking to bolster uptake of the aircraft in the rest of Africa.

The aircraft already has an established footprint across some countries on the continent and Airbus is aiming to grow this, as well as establish a presence in the South African market.

This was outlined during an Airbus media briefing, which took place during last week’s African Aerospace Defence 2026 expo at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in Tshwane.

Airbus defence and space product marketing director Fernando Ciria outlined the the C295 was a product that was very relevant for Africa, with this model being the continuation of a family of products that had operated on the continent for some time, as “market leaders”.

Ciria highlighted that the C295 boasted multirole capabilities to perform several types of missions, had reliable systems with the highest availability, featured high-quality avionics and provided simple and economic operation and improved maintenance.

The aircraft comprises a cargo ramp for easy access and is able to perform missions required by all kinds of operators, including troop transport, cargo transport, Medevac operations, humanitarian relief, paratroop dropping, cargo aerial delivery and unprepared runways.

Ciria said the aircraft was able to conduct multiple missions, in both military transport and surveillance, in all conditions.

“For us, what is important is having a robust, simple aircraft that provides a cheaper cost of operation,” he emphasised.

Further to pure military missions, the C295’s features made it suitable for humanitarian and support to population missions, as it facilitated the transport of key supplies to and from the zone of need with effectiveness and reliability, even in exigent conditions, Ciria averred.

These features included the ability to operate on short and unpaved runways, a robust design allowing operation in difficult environments, the rear ramp enabling loading and unloading of bulk and palletised cargo and cheaper operating costs per flight hour compared with fixed or rotary wing solutions with similar productivity, he outlined.

Ciria highlighted the C295 as a military transport leader in its segment.

It is present in 40 countries, with 46 operators conducting different missions with the aircraft.

Ciria pointed out that Airbus held considerable market share for this, and moreover, almost 50% of operators had repeated orders, showing customers were confident in the capabilities of the aircraft, the robustness of the company’s service and the sustainability of the platforms in different environments.

Of the 337 aircraft contracted, 54 were in Africa, which Ciria said showcased its suitability for the continent.

He said the company was looking to extend the community of the C295 in the region, where it had been present since 2005 with the Algeria Air Force.

Having demonstrated its relevance to Africa, the company is now looking to grow this, with common deployments, tactical exercises or training, and other activities able to be jointly performed using this aircraft, Ciria said.

He added that collaboration in services could also be considered.

Ciria posited that the C295 would also allow African countries to expand their collaborative efforts.

LOCAL PARTNERSHIP

Meanwhile, Airbus Southern Africa, the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and France’s Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (ISAE-SUPAERO) last week signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) establishing a strategic collaboration to bridge advanced aeronautical education and aerospace manufacturing and design.

The four-year agreement sets out a framework to equip South African engineering students with globally recognised qualifications to support local industrialisation and to foster a culture of aerospace innovation across the region.

Under the terms of the agreement, Wits and ISAE-SUPAERO will align their aerospace engineering curricula through comprehensive gap analysis and mapping, supported by a reciprocal faculty exchange programme between Johannesburg and Toulouse, providing Wits students with knowledge for design capabilities in aerospace engineering.

This initiative aims to lay the foundation for recurrent student and faculty exchanges.

Through establishing common academic mechanisms, Wits students are also expected to benefit from access to specialised aerospace Master’s programmes and advanced research methodologies in France.

“This collaboration connects academic excellence with industrial expertise to empower the next generation of South African aeronautical engineers. By combining the local expertise of Wits, the world-class aerospace training of ISAE-SUPAERO and Airbus operational footprint, we are building a sustainable talent pipeline that supports both local innovation and global aerospace standards,” Airbus South Africa country representative Nam-Binh Hoang says.

“Partnering with global leaders like Airbus and ISAE-SUPAERO enhances our capability to deliver world-class engineering education. This agreement ensures our students gain access to advanced aerospace modules, international exposure, and practical research opportunities directly tied to industry needs,” Wits research and innovation deputy VP Professor Lynn Morris averred.

“International academic collaboration is essential for tackling the complex engineering challenges of tomorrow’s aerospace sector. Through this partnership with Wits and Airbus, we are proud to contribute to the development of aerospace skills in South Africa.

“Such an industry-academia partnership will allow us to train top-level graduates in the country and the region able to meet the needs of the local aeronautical ecosystem, strengthening the global educational network that underpins aerospace innovation,” ISAE-SUPAERO president Marie-Hélène Baroux posits.

To ensure effective execution, the MoU establishes dedicated operational and executive oversight teams across all three institutions, with regular progress reviews throughout the four-year term.

The partnership will also focus on raising general aviation awareness and promoting technical career paths in South Africa.

Airbus will engage Wits students and offer awareness events, design thinking mentorship, and potential undergraduate aviation courses aimed at improving aircraft operations.