The Ministry of The Republic of Mali has placed a firm order for an additional Airbus C295 airlifter in the transport configuration (credit: airbus.com)

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

The west African nation of Mali has ordered another Airbus C295 plane to join its Air Force fleet. This second aircraft, to be delivered in 2021, will supplement the first C295 already in operation since December 2016 which has already accumulated 1,770 flight hours and transported more than 38,000 passengers and 900 tonnes of cargo in less than four years of operations, according to Airbus.  This new order also includes an integrated logistics support package with spare parts for the two aircraft and training for flight crews and mechanics.  Airbus said the  acquisition is in response to the urgent need of the authorities of the Republic of Mali to have permanent air transport capacity within a very short timeframe, providing a vital link supporting operations and actions for the development of isolated areas in the northern regions of the country.

“This repeat order demonstrates the excellent capabilities and performance of our aircraft. The C295 is becoming the 21^st century standard tactical airlifter in Africa with 37 aircraft ordered in the region, from Algeria, Egypt and Ghana to Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Mali.”

-Bernhard Brenner, Head of Marketing and Sales at Airbus Defence and Space.

New Airbus aircraft To Be Used to Bolster Mali’s Counter-Terrorism efforts

The Airbus C295 is a new-generation tactical airlifter in the light and medium segment. (credit: airbus.com)

Mali’s Air Force previously took delivery of its  first C295  that arrived in the capital Bamako on 15 December 2016 for service in the Transport Squadron based at Base Aerienne 101 Bamako-Senou.  Meanwhile,  the terror threat in Mali continues unabated despite a massive deployment UN peacekeepers and  French troops tasked with halting jihadist’s attacks. There have been  25 French soldiers confirmed killed since the start of Operation Barkhane, which was launched more than four years ago to quell jihadist activity in the former French colony of Mali and in neighbouring countries.

The C295 is widely in use in Africa with 37 aircraft ordered in the region, from Algeria, Egypt and Ghana to Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Mali.

AIRBUS    C295:

Range:                        2,000 nm (with 6.0 t of payload)

Flight hours:              Up to 11 hours in the air

Load capacity            71 troops, 50 paratroopers and five pallets