On January 25, 2024, the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) welcomed the arrival of Airbus C295MW aircraft during an official ceremony at the Rimba Air Base. The event was presided over by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and attended by representatives from Airbus Defence and Space, along with senior military officials.
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Airbus C295MW medium tactical transport aircraft (Picture source: Airbus)

The contract for these aircraft was signed on December 2, 2022, indicating that deliveries will be made in several batches. These aircraft are set to strengthen the RBAirF's fleet. The Airbus C295MWs are intended to provide the RBAirF with a multirole capability for strategic and tactical transport. These aircraft will be used to support RBAirF operations both regionally and internationally.

According to the Brunei Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), the C295MW aircraft will be engaged in various operations, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), medical evacuations (MEDEVAC), non-combatant evacuation operations (NEO), and search and rescue (SAR) operations.

Brunei authorities specify that the C295MWs can be configured for multiple roles, such as troop and cargo transport, VIP transport, parachuting, cargo drops, and medical evacuations.

The delivery of the first two C295MWs occurred just over a month after MINDEF signed a certificate of Customer Acceptance Test for the first C295MW on December 19, 2023. This Customer Acceptance Test is part of the acceptance requirements to be conducted before the aircraft is flown to Brunei for delivery. The second C295MW underwent its Customer Acceptance Test in January 2024 at Seville.

The C295MW is a medium-sized tactical military transport aircraft equipped with twin turboprops. It is designed for varied missions such as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and search and rescue operations. The aircraft is capable of operating in challenging conditions and on rudimentary runways. It offers significant payload capacity, extended range, and can transport various equipment or personnel. The acquisition of these aircraft by the RBAirF aims to enhance its operational capabilities in the region, particularly in response to the challenges in the South China Sea.

The RBAirF's fleet now includes the Airbus C295MWs, designed for diverse missions such as humanitarian assistance and rescue operations. It also incorporates Sikorsky S-70 Blackhawk helicopters, used for troop transport and medical evacuations, as well as Bell 214ST helicopters. For training, the RBAirF uses Pilatus PC-7 aircraft. Before the arrival of the C295MWs, a CN-235 aircraft was used for transport and humanitarian missions. Additionally, the air force acquired Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack drones in 2021, used for surveillance and intelligence. This diverse array of aircraft enables the RBAirF to meet a wide range of operational needs, both regionally and internationally.