17 August 2011 by defenceWeb
The South African Air Force is paying Interjet Maintenance (Pty) Ltd R60 million for the provision of product support services for the Cessna C208 Caravan light transport. The contract takes the value of maintenance work on the aircraft to R88 467 925.77 since 2007.
The SAAF operates 13 of the aircraft after acquiring the type in 1988. One of these crash-landed near the Kei River mouth area of the Eastern Cape last month and is to be written off. The aircraft, of 41 Squadron, from Pretoria, was participating in the air service's annual Exercise Winter Solstice at the time.
The SAAF uses the type as a light transport, aerial surveillance and electronic warfare (EW) platform. In 2007 the SAAF awarded a contract on Aerosud and Denel under Project Koiler for a day/night reconnaissance system for the C208.The contract involved the acquisition of three sets of mission equipment and the modification of 11 aircraft. The aircraft, so equipped, was successfully used in Operation Kgwele, the drive to secure last year's FIFA Confederations Cup and this year's World Cup.
EW niche company Sysdel has also outfitted some Caravan aircraft as EW platforms. The SAAF believes the C208 an serve at least another decade.
More details HERE
/fdata%2F4220908%2Favatar-blog-1207340840-tmpphpbvDubc.jpeg){kind=avatar}
