Ecuador gets Super Pumas and C295Ws

The defence of Ecuador will be boosted by two acquisitions. First up is the deal with Airbus Helicopters to obtain five second hand Super Pumas. They are destined for the Aviación del Ejército Ecuatoriana (AEE, Ecuadorian Army Aviation) to bolster their fleet.

The Ecuadorian Army has been a long time user of the Puma family, that started in 1978 with five SA330C that were modifed to L-standard. Later, five AS332B Super Pumas were taken over from the air force and three more were obtained. Of these thirteen, one SA330 and two AS332 are currently still in service.

The Army will also receive one of two Airbus C295W on order. Again, the CASA lineage has been long-standing, the service operates two CN235, one arrived in 1989 and the second in 2004. The other C295W will go to the Aviación Naval Ecuatoriana (ANE, Ecuadorian Naval Aviation), that also already uses two CN235. After these are delivered, all three branches of the armed forces will hav the C295 on strength as the air force already uses three of them.

Credit photo: Ian French (Scramble Archive)