ADF grows King Air fleet
Hawker Pacific has delivered the first of five additional new King Air 350 twin turboprop light transport aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) 38 Squadron in Townsville. The King Air 350 was modified and prepared for RAAF service by Hawker Pacific’s specialist modifications team including its avionics subsidiary, Australian Avionics.
The aircraft are being provided under a long term performance based “turn-key” lease and support contract with Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), signed in November 2009, to supply and support King Air 350 interim Australian Defence Force (ADF) light transport aircraft capability.
The program will deliver an important strategic airlift capability to the ADF in Australia and the Asia Pacific Region in roles such as air logistics, command and control, and reconnaissance.
The Squadron’s eight modified King Air 350s will provide a gap capability between the retirement of the de Havilland Canada Caribou battlefield transport and its eventual replacement under Project Air 8000.
The second modified King Air is expected to be delivered to 38 Squadron in March 2010.
The previous Oakey based Army Fixed Wing Beech 350 fleet of three aircraft have already commenced operations under RAAF control with 38 Squadron following transfer of the assets in November 2009. The Interim Light Transport fleet of King Air 350s is expected to be at full strength by mid-year, bringing the Australian Defence Forces’ (ADF) King Air fleet to 16 aircraft, deployed with 32 Squadron at Sale and 38 Squadron at Townsville.
Challenging even some of the light jets on speed, payload, range and performance, the more powerful and stretched 350 is the newest model in Beechcraft’s series of high performance turboprops which are now firmly established in Australia with the ADF, numerous charter and freight operators, corporate business aircraft users, State governments, ambulance services, and particularly units of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, whose mixed aircraft fleet has long been dominated by King Airs.
