Leonardo and Baykar join forces to develop uncrewed aerial systems
Baykar’s AKINCI drone will be the first focus platform for the joint venture, with the first prototype targeted for development in 12 to 18 months.
Jordan accepts pair of ex-USAF Hercules
Royal Jordanian Air Force C-130 Hercules being towed out at Muniz Air National Guard Base in Puerto Rico. (Photo: USAF/Master Sgt Thomas Ramirez)
A third C-130 will be transferred to the Royal Jordanian Air Force in January 2022 under the C-130 Ramp-to-Ramp programme.
The US embassy in Jordan announced on 9 December that two C-130 Hercules transport aircraft have been accepted by the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) under the global Ramp-to-Ramp (R2R) programme, with a third to follow in January 2022.
All three aircraft have received recent equipment updates and upgraded interoperable avionics before their integration into the RJAF fleet.
After they are delivered, the USAF Mobile Training Team will provide basic and advanced training of Jordanian aircrew and maintenance crews.
‘The transfer of these mission-ready aircraft comes as part of a US Congressional mandate to cap the size of the USAF C-130 fleet,’ the US embassy noted, adding that the C-130 R2R programme is the first USAF programme to transfer fully active and functional assets to ‘key security partners around the world’.
Eight C-130s have been transferred to date under R2R since the first aircraft in April 2021.
Jordan currently operates three C-130Es and four C-130Hs, so the arrival of the ex-USAF C-130 aircraft boosts the RJAF fixed-wing tactical airlift fleet by nearly 50%. It will also save RJAF approximately $30 million in equipment renovation costs, the US embassy calculated.
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