Airbus has rolled out the first C295 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) for the Spanish Air and Space Force from its final assembly line in Seville, the company announced on July 30, 2025.
The aircraft has now entered development and certification testing, with its maiden flight scheduled before the end of 2025.
New milestone achieved! ✔️
— Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) July 30, 2025
The first C295 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) for Spain has rolled-out from our Final Assembly Line in Seville 🇪🇸 and has entered the development and certification testing phase towards its first flight, scheduled before the end of the year.
This… pic.twitter.com/Fc0EmVOJFZ
This MSA is the first of 16 special mission C295 aircraft ordered by the Spanish Ministry of Defense under a €1.695 billion contract signed in December 2023. The order includes 10 aircraft in the MSA configuration and six in a more heavily armed Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) variant.
Deliveries are expected to begin in 2026, with the aircraft set to progressively replace the aging CN-235 VIGMA and P-3 Orion fleets.
Successor to the CN-235 VIGMA
All 16 aircraft are to be assembled at Airbus’ military facilities in Seville, where Spain already operates a fleet of 13 C295 tactical transports.
The C295 MSA will succeed the CN-235 VIGMA aircraft that have been in service since 2008. Designed primarily for maritime and overland missions, the MSA variant will support anti-smuggling, anti-illegal immigration, and counter-narcotics operations, along with SAR tasks both domestically and abroad.
While the MSA variant focuses on surveillance and SAR, the C295 MPA will bring a significant leap in marine warfare capability, filling the gap left by the retirement of Spain’s P-3 Orion fleet in 2022. Equipped for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, the MPA will be capable of deploying torpedoes and other munitions.
It is also expected to serve as a command-and-control platform, coordinating with naval and airborne assets during joint missions