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.
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.