Construcciones Aeronáuticas S.A. (CASA)
Construcciones Aeronáuticas S.A. — universally known as CASA — was Spain's foremost aircraft manufacturer, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Madrid. Over eight decades, CASA evolved from producing early sporting monoplanes to becoming a key partner in some of the most significant European aerospace programmes of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In 1999, CASA merged with DASA and Aérospatiale to form EADS (now Airbus), cementing its place in the global aerospace industry.
Original Designs & Prototypes
- CASA I — Prototype; forerunner of the CASA III
- CASA III (1929) — Two-seat sporting monoplane; one of CASA's earliest original designs
- CASA C-101 Aviojet — Jet-powered advanced trainer and light attack aircraft; the backbone of the Spanish Air Force's training fleet
- CASA C-102 — Development project
- CASA C-112 — Two-seat trainer
- CASA C-201 Alcotán — Light transport and utility aircraft
- CASA C-202 Halcón — Twin-engine transport
- CASA C-207 Azor — Twin-engine medium transport; served with the Spanish Air Force
- CASA C-212 Aviocar — Highly successful twin-turboprop STOL transport; exported worldwide and still in production in evolved forms
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CASA CN-235 — Regional airliner and military transport; developed jointly with IPTN of Indonesia; widely exported
- EADS CASA HC-144 Ocean Sentry — Maritime patrol variant operated by the United States Coast Guard
- CASA C-295 — Stretched, more powerful development of the CN-235; regional airliner and military transport; now produced as the Airbus C295
License-Built Aircraft
A significant portion of CASA's production history involved manufacturing foreign designs under licence — a common practice that allowed Spain to build domestic aerospace capability while equipping its armed forces with proven types.
- CASA 1.131 Jungmann — License-built version of the Bücker Bü 131; primary trainer
- CASA 1.133 Jungmeister — License-built version of the Bücker Bü 133; advanced aerobatic trainer
- CASA 2.111 — License-built version of the Heinkel He 111; medium bomber operated by the Spanish Air Force
- CASA 352 — License-built version of the Junkers Ju 52/3m; transport and utility aircraft; the Spanish examples remained in service long after the German originals were retired
- CASA C.127 — License-built version of the Dornier Do 27; liaison and utility aircraft
- CASA C-223 Flamingo — License-built version of the MBB 223 Flamingo; light trainer
- CASA SF-5A — License-built version of the Northrop F-5A; single-seat tactical fighter
- CASA SF-5B — License-built version of the Northrop F-5B; two-seat combat trainer
- CASA SRF-5A — License-built version of the Northrop RF-5A; tactical reconnaissance variant
- Polikarpov I-15 — Soviet biplane fighter; operated in Spain during the Civil War period
- Polikarpov I-16 — Soviet monoplane fighter; similarly associated with the Spanish Civil War era
Collaborative & Multinational Programmes
- Eurofighter Typhoon — CASA (later EADS CASA) is a full partner in the Eurofighter consortium, responsible for the right wing of all production Typhoon airframes
- EADS ATLANTE — Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed under the EADS umbrella
Subcontractor Roles
Beyond its own aircraft, CASA built a substantial industrial base as a major subcontractor for the world's leading airframe manufacturers:
- Airbus — Supplies structural components and assemblies for the Airbus family of civilian passenger aircraft
- Airbus Military / A400M Atlas — Subcontractor for the A400M tactical airlifter programme
- Boeing — Supplies parts for Boeing's commercial aircraft series
- Eurofighter GmbH — Responsible for the right wing of all production Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft
Primary-source technical documentation for CASA aircraft — including manuals, parts catalogs, and engineering publications — is available in the Spanish Aviation Collection at Online Aviation Library.