Airbus C295 Armed ISR Conducts Flight Trials Written 30 June 2021

FlightGlobal reports that Airbus Defence & Space “has test-flown a new armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) version of its C295 transport carrying a mix of precision-guided weapons.” Airbus said that its “C295 Armed ISR [testbed] recently conducted its maiden flight equipped with eight laser-guided missiles and two laser-guided bomb dummies, located on four underwing hardpoints.” A prototype of the aircraft “has been flown with multiple weapon configurations, with the activity supporting its assessment of their mechanical integration and aerodynamic impact.” Images released by Airbus “demonstrated load-outs as including carrying eight Roketsan L-UMTAS laser-guided air-to-surface missiles, plus either a pair of Terber-82 laser guidance kit-equipped Mk 82 bombs, two four-round launchers for the Turkish company’s Cirit 2.75in guided rocket, and two CAT-70 unguided rocket launchers.”
Full Story (FlightGlobal)