Angola will place an order for three C-295 transport aircraft.
Referencing Lusa news agency, defenceWeb reported on March 12, 2018, that Angola is seeking three C-295s, at a total cost of nearly 160 million euros. DefenceWeb noted the contract “will be financed by Banco Bilbao and Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) of Spain and be included in the contract of the Public Investment Programme of the Angolan government.”
These are seemingly intended for the Angolan Navy and will be used for maritime patrol duties.
Manufacturer Airbus stated, “We are naturally pleased to see the steps that have been taken in Angola and believe that we have the right product for the nation’s needs. We are optimistic of completing the required negotiations in due course.”
A timeline for the contract’s completion has not been released. Earlier in the month, President João Lourenço authorized Simportex, a commodities trading firm, to finalize the deal with Airbus. Angola previously has sought to use Simportex for other military acquisitions, like the purchase of naval vessels from Privinvest.
Military markets analyst, covering Eurasia, Middle East, and Africa.
