The CN-235 is a medium-range transport aircraft developed by Spain's CASA and Indonesia's IPTN
Its first flight was made in 1983 and was officially commissioned in 1988
Currently, about 25 countries are operating this aircraft, with a total of over 284 aircraft
In addition to transport duties, the CN-235 and its variants are also used for reconnaissance missions, maritime patrols, etc
This is one of the safest aircraft in the world, extremely easy to control, very popular with pilots
In Indonesia, The Air Force operates the CN-235 and Navy operates the CN235MPA
According to Janes, Indonesian state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara (PTDI)
has completed ground firing trials on a gunship variant of the CN-235, and is now preparing the airframe for its first aerial tests
The variant, which has been developed out of the company’s flying test bed (FTB) airframe
is fitted with single-barrelled 30 mm DEFA 553 aircraft cannon on the portside aft of its fuselage
The weapon was salvaged from a retired Douglas A-4H Skyhawk that was formerly in service with the Indonesian Air Force
It is equipped with General Electric CT7-9 turboprop engines and has been structurally enhanced to withstand the weight of its 30 mm cannon
The airframe has also been retrofitted with storage compartments to store equipment and munitions related to the weapon
There are plans to incorporate hardpoints on the aircraft’s wings and fuselage
so it can carry additional weapons but this is not a priority at the moment, said the company
According to the manufacturer, the ground-based firings from the aircraft have been completed
and they are focused on preparing the parameters to test the aircraft and its weapon while it is in the air
The Indonesian Coast Guard is showing interest in the new CN-235 aircraft
Manufacturer PTDI is expected to introduce this fire support aircraft to Middle Eastern and African countries in the near future
Military experts of Janes Magazine assessed that the completeness of the CN-235 armed version
was not enough to attract the attention of militaries of other countries
Ground fire support aircraft converted from transport aircraft are widely used in combat
The AC-130 or AC-27J aircraft with a variety of weapons provide strong suppression fire against enemy ground forces
However, due to combat requirements, they often have to fly at low altitudes and are vulnerable to low- and medium-range anti-aircraft weapons