Airbus CC-295 Kingfisher aircraft from the 19th Wing of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) officially began conducting search and rescue (FWSAR) missions in Canada on May 1, 2025. They are based at Comox Air Base in British Columbia.
The customized CC-295 Kingfisher aircraft Dedicated to search and rescue fleet for the Royal Canadian Air Force is based on Airbus C-295W model, previously called "CASA C-295".
Canada’s large territory, wilderness and harsh climate make search and rescue (SAR) operations a real necessity for the national security. For decades, the Royal Canadian Air Force relied on aging CC-130 Hercules and CC-115 Buffalo aircraft to respond to emergencies.
About the program, the $2.4 billion Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue (FWSAR) project is aimed to replace these aging fleets with 16 Airbus CC-295 Kingfishers.
Canada has a search area of 18 million square kilometers, making SAR operations challenging.
While the RCAF and Airbus worked to certify the CC-295 for SAR missions in Canada, two C-130H Hercules aircraft were sent to Comox to perform these missions on the west coast of Canada and the Rocky Mountains.
The RCAF followed original transition timelines expecting Kingfishers to be operational by 2023. Delays forced withdrawal of legacy aircraft due to maintenance costs and safety concerns.
The Hercules returned to Winnipeg in early January. Designed specifically for search and rescue missions across Canada’s vast expanses, the CC-295 is equipped with sensors that will allow crews to locate people or objects from more than 40 km away, even in low-light conditions.
Key upgrades include infrared search systems, satellite-linked distress signal detection, and 35% greater fuel efficiency enabling longer loiter times.
Its communications equipment will provide interoperability with other elements search and rescue aircraft, such as the CH-149 Cormorant.
Pratt & Whitney Canada, a subsidiary of United Technologies, has supplied the PW127G engines to Airbus Defence and Space in support of Canada's Search and Rescue Fixed-Wing Aircraft Replacement Project.
The CC-295s will be based at Comox, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Trenton, Ontario, and Greenwood, Nova Scotia. They will replace the CC-115 Buffalo and CC-130H Hercules aircraft in service (The first CC-295 arrived in Canada on September 29, 2020).
While the Airbus CC-295 the required next-generation upgrade, the transition risks creating dangerous coverage gaps during extreme weather seasons. Next couple of years will be a definite test whether these advanced platforms can deliver on their promised 98% availability rate.
