This article first appeared in Aerospace Daily & Defense Report.
With the growing use of King Air twin-turboprops for surveillance, a new venture is offering to deliver outfitted platforms on short notice by having a pipeline of aircraft in modification.
Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Aerial Surveillance Systems Inc. (ASSI) has selected modification specialist Stevens Aviation to install an adapted cargo pod, sensor, operator’s console, avionics and other mission hardware on low-time used King Air 350s.
The modified King Air is being marketed to government and military customers as the SkyEye 350. The first aircraft is in modification and is scheduled to fly at the beginning of September, says Stevens Aviation’s Frank Golden.
ASSI has selected FLIR Systems as electro-optical/infrared sensor provider, and will equip the aircraft to take either the Star Safire HD or Brite Star II system, he says. Rosen Aviation is supplying console displays and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems the mission control software.
Golden says ASSI’s business plan is to have two or three aircraft in modification at all times, so they can be customized and delivered within three to four months, compared with 18 months for a traditional acquisition.
The smaller King Air B200 will be offered as a lower-cost platform, he says, while the companies will also offer to install the basic mission package on other aircraft types, including the Cessna 208 Caravan.
Read the rest of this story, check out the Coast Guard’s NatSec cutter, see why Helmand hijinks means troubs for NATO and cast a skeptical glance on Georgia (the country’s) after action from our friends at Aviation Week, exclusively on Military.com.
– Christian
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
My father flies these for a hobby. From what I’ve seen of it and flown with him, I think this aircraft could do the job well.
What an actual post on defense technology by Christian. I thought you were creating a site to stir up the right wing base these past few weeks.
But on to this topic:
This is a prime example of what is currently being used in Afghanistan to provide ISR during operations. This asset was not available during the poorly planned ANA operation discussed previously on this site that killed 60 civilians or something like that.
We are funding something like 40 of these in this year’s defense budget. Plus SpecOps is purchasing PC-12s. I think the King Airs are UC-12Ws if I am not mistaken.
The United Kingdom is currently purchasing these aircraft as well.
DC2
I’m a bit amazed, as well. Christian ain’t much of a reporter.
I am wondering why the King Air. I am an avid skydiver and have jumped out of both the King Air and the Twin Otter. I think the Twin Otter is a much better platform for this type of mission. If fitted with the same engine platform the otters are able to perform at the same level. Plus if you consider the Twin Otter was designed for short landing and take offs which is applicable to the small air strips where these planes would be utilized for surveillance. Not to mention if you are utilizing these planes for lower altitude surveilance then why would you choose a plane like the King Air where the stall speed is higher than the Twin Otter. Plus the King Air is a plane that is more sensible to how its load is placed as far as location in the body of the plane. As a skydiver we put people in a compartment in the back of the plane virtualy in the tail of the aircraft. In the King Air there is a limitation just beyond where you load the plane as far as where people can be placed. A civilian Twin Otter can carry 22 people with full skydiving gear. The King Air can carry 14 people. A Super Otter could carry the surveilance equipment and a quick strike force at slower speeds.
Other Apps:
Search & Rescue
Counternarcotics.
Border Patrol
EW
C3I for Spec Ops
Convert Transport for White House?
ECM Unit
Light Cargo
VIP Transport.
MedEvac
Aaron,
I would say the Twin Otter is probably too large. Weight distribution probably isn’t an issue either because the equipment as measured by volume probably weighs more.
Under Project Liberty, the DoD is currently purchasing new and used airframes. They are actually given the MC-12W designation.
BTW, I don’t think you would want to land an airplane on any type of unimproved (possibly mined) airstrip to “insert” a quick reaction force. Especially with things like FLIR or other equipment hanging on the belly of the plane.
DC2