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Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) today announced it has delivered the first four Beechcraft T-6A military trainer aircraft to the Iraqi Air Force. HBC was awarded a contract for eight T-6A trainer aircraft in August 2009 and an additional seven in September, bringing the contract total to 15 aircraft.
The contract represents a government-to-government agreement between Iraq and the United States. The remaining aircraft deliveries will occur in the first and fourth quarters of 2010.
“With the T-6A, the Iraqi Air Force now has the most successful primary trainer in the world at its fingertips,” said Jim Maslowski, president, U.S. and International Government Business. “These aircraft will play a vital role in strengthening the Iraqi Air Force and providing training in support of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.”
In addition to the 15 aircraft, the contract also includes ground based training systems, spares, contract logistics support, maintenance, post production support and technical publications.
The Beechcraft T-6 offers military organizations worldwide the most proven and most cost-effective training system available today. The T-6 is a primary trainer aircraft that accommodates instruction in instrument flight procedures and basic aerial maneuvers. The aircraft delivers an outstanding training capability that is appropriate for the most basic introductory flight training through more challenging and complex advanced training missions. To date, it has been used to train pilots in approximately 20 different countries.
The HBC military training platform also recently achieved significant milestones when the T-6 reached one million flight hours and delivery of the 500th T-6 airplane occurred.
The T-6A is currently in service as the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy’s Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) aircraft, as well as the primary, weapons and navigation trainer with the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program, the Hellenic Air Force of Greece and the Israeli Air Force. HBC and its predecessor company have delivered more than 500 aircraft and 90 aircrew training devices to various major training installations throughout the U.S. since its first deliveries started in 2000.
Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is a world-leading manufacturer of business, special mission and trainer aircraft – designing, marketing and supporting aviation products and services for businesses, governments and individuals worldwide. The company’s headquarters and major facilities are located in Wichita, Kan., with operations in Salina, Kan.; Little Rock, Ark.; Chester, England, U.K.; and Chihuahua, Mexico. The company leads the industry with a global network of more than 100 factory-owned and authorized service centers.