Ecuador Restores CN-235 MPA

Ecuador’s navy has put a CASA CN-235 Persuader maritime patrol aircraft back into service after restoration work supported by Airbus. (airbus.com) The CN-235 is a twin-turboprop aircraft built by CASA, now part of Airbus, and the Persuader version is fitted for maritime patrol rather than basic transport. Ecuador’s navy has operated the type as AN-204, a CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft photographed in service over multiple years. (airbus.com) (jetphotos.com) Maritime patrol aircraft are the navy’s long-range eyes over the water: they search wide sea areas, track vessels, and can drop rescue gear from the rear ramp. Airbus says its patrol aircraft family is built for maritime surveillance, search and rescue, and, in some versions, anti-submarine warfare. (airbus.com 1) (airbus.com 2) For Ecuador, that matters across a coastline, an exclusive economic zone, and the Galápagos, where the navy is tasked with maritime control and search-and-rescue support. A 2024 cooperation agreement for Galápagos flights specifically covered preventive maintenance for naval aircraft and crew training for medical transport and rescue operations at sea. (armada.mil.ec) (defensa.gob.ec) Airbus has kept the CN235 and C295 in its military-aircraft lineup and markets in-service support as a way to sustain readiness over time. The company says it trains operators and maintainers for both aircraft types and provides long-term support services to keep fleets mission-capable. (airbus.com 1) (airbus.com 2) (airbus.com 3) Ecuador has also been expanding its Airbus military fleet. Janes reported in 2023 that the Ecuadorian Air Force operated three C295s while the navy had a single CN235 for maritime patrol duties, and Key.Aero reported in April 2026 that Ecuador bought two more C295s, one for the army and one for the navy. (janes.com) (key.aero) The restoration also fits a broader maintenance reality in Ecuador’s armed forces, where keeping older Airbus-built transports airworthy has required deep inspection work. A public Ecuador procurement document for another CN-235, the army’s AEE-502, described structural inspections, repairs, and airworthiness work intended to return the aircraft to operable condition for six more years. (compraspublicas.gob.ec) With the Persuader flying again, Ecuador regains a fixed-wing patrol asset for long-range sea surveillance while it waits for newer aircraft to join the fleet. The immediate effect is simple: one more aircraft available to watch water, find boats, and support rescues far from shore. (airbus.com) (key.aero)