US to supply 7 Armed AC-208s to Afghan Air Force
WASHINGTON, Dec 30 (INP) Orbital ATK would deliver seven armed Cessna AC-208 Caravan aircraft to the Afghan National Army under a pending US Air Force contract award, the US armed service says.
According to flightglobal.com, an acquisition notice posted by the Air Force late on 27 December invites comments on a plan to award the contract to Orbital ATK without a competition.
If finalised, the deal would add to the seven AC-208s to 208 more aircraft that the Department of Defense supplied to the Afghan military and police between 2007 and 2016, according to a report by the US Government Accountability Office.
Flightglobal.com reported that the Afghan Air Force and Special Mission Wing already operate the unarmed version of the C-208 turboprop as a cargo and utility transport.
Orbital ATK advertises the AC-208 Eliminator as a mini-gunship equipped with 70mm (2.75in) guided rockets and Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. The aircraft also comes with sensors, target designators, data links and self-protection systems.
INP/AH/LK
