MC-208 armed variant of the Cessna Caravan. (Photo: MAG Aerospace)
MAG Aerospace will integrate ISR equipment aboard one of the two Cessna 208 Caravan transport aircraft operated by the Philippines Army Aviation Regiment, the DoD announced on 25 January.
Work is expected to be completed by 30 September 2024.
MAG also has the option to equip the other aircraft under a $19.85 million contract modification with 100% FMS funding.
The DoD did not identify the ISR kit to be installed on the Cessnas, which were delivered to the Philippines in 2017.
However, in 2018 the USAF initiated the procurement of aircraft that could be donated to, or purchased by, countries such as Chad, Cameroon, Niger and the Philippines.
Shephard Defence Insight notes that these aircraft were planned to be fitted with a Wescam MX-15 EO/IR sensor with a laser designator and rockets controlled by an Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System.
In April 2020, MAG revealed that its Mission Integration Division had received a contract from the US federal government ‘and overseas customers’ to provide armed Cessna MC-208 aircraft for ISR, armed reconnaissance, air mobility and precision-strike missions.
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
DARPA’s Mission-Integrated Network Control (MINC) programme was set up to develop an autonomous tactical network and enable critical data flow in contested environments.
Why space is an essential part of modern military capabilities
Defence-secure mixed reality headsets can save hours, or even weeks, of travel time to fix defunct equipment or get subject experts effectively “on-site” where they are needed.
The Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) and Drone Restricted Access Using Known Electromagnetic Warfare (DRAKE) counter-UAS (CUAS) systems are mounted and dismounted RF jammers.
Adarga’s Vantage information analysis tool is in service with the UK MoD and individual UK forces. It builds on the company’s Knowledge Platform which processes, organises and analyses open source material, as well as information held by the user’s military, security and intelligence services.
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