Hawker Beechcraft Awarded $171 Million USAF Contract | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-06.23.25

Airborne-NextGen-06.24.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.25.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-06.26.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.27.25

Thu, Nov 20, 2008

Hawker Beechcraft Awarded $171 Million USAF Contract

Service Orders 23 King Air 350ER Turboprops

Hawker Beechcraft awarded a contract by the United States Air Force (USAF) this week for 23 extended-range (ER) special mission Beechcraft King Air 350ER turboprops. The estimated value of the contract is $171 million, and calls for deliveries to take place in 2009.

"We are honored to be part of the team supplying this critical capability to our military and to continue our long term relationship with the US Department of Defense," said Jim Schuster, HBC chairman and CEO. "The King Air 350ER is ideally suited for use in special missions as an airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform. We understand the priority of this important mission and are committed to the aircraft deliveries necessary for rapid deployment."

Introduced by Raytheon at the 2005 Paris Air Show and certified in November 2007, the King Air 350ER is the top-line model of the Beechcraft King Air family. Hawker Beech developed the 305ER with special mission requirements in mind. USAF aircraft will be equipped with military-required equipment.

The uber-King Air provides extended range through the addition of nacelle fuel tanks, along with an increase in gross weight from 15,000 to 16,500 pounds and the incorporation of heavy-weight landing gear.

The King Air 350ER can provide over eight hours of endurance and has the flexibility to loiter low and slow or cruise at 300 knots and 35,000 feet. Taking off at gross weight with full fuel and full payload, the King Air 350ER can fly out 100 nautical miles, perform a low altitude surveillance mission for seven hours and 20 minutes, fly back 100 nautical miles, and still land with over 45 minutes of fuel on board.

FMI: www.hawkerbeechcraft.com, www.af.mil

Advertisement

More News

Airborne 06.30.25: US v ADS-B Misuse, Nat’l STOL Fire, Volocopter Resumes

Also: Netherlands Donates 18 F16s, 2 737s Collide On Ramp, E-7 Wedgetail Cut, AgEagle's 100th In S Korea The Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act was introduced in the House by Represent>[...]

NTSB Prelim: Piper PA-23

Pilot Also Reported That Due To A Fuel Leak, The Auxiliary Fuel Tanks Were Not Used On June 4, 2025, at 13:41 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23, N2109P, was substantially damage>[...]

ANN FAQ: Submit a News Story!

Have A Story That NEEDS To Be Featured On Aero-News? Here’s How To Submit A Story To Our Team Some of the greatest new stories ANN has ever covered have been submitted by our>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: One Man’s Vietnam

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Reflections on War’s Collective Lessons and Cyclical Nature The exigencies of war ought be colorblind. Inane social-constructs the likes of racis>[...]

Klyde Morris (06.30.25)

What Goes Around, May Yet Come Back Around, Klyde FMI: www.klydemorris.com>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC