The National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) has purchased a C295 transport plane to convert it into an Aerial Research Platform (PAI) with a budget of 27 million euros. The R+D+I project will be co-financed through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Modifications will take place over the next year and delivery of the aircraft is expected to take place in the summer of 2023.

According to Defense, this PAI will be an aircraft adapted and instrumented for use in conducting flight tests of aeronautical equipment and systems, atmospheric research, remote sensing data collection and tests for the development, training and formation of crews, both scientific and flight, among others.

The C295 joins the three PAIs that INTA already has (two C212-200 and a Stemme S15 motorsailer), and will be equipped with wing mounts for attaching sensors and probes, a back test instrumentation system , internal communications system, as well as the necessary equipment to fly safely in adverse weather conditions such as rain, ice and snow, and will be designed and certified for lightning strikes.