The 30th and final King Air 350-based MC-12W Liberty ISR aircraft has been delivered to the USAF just 13 months after the contract for the fleet was signed.
The aircraft, developed under an urgent operational requirement, is the fastest weapons system delivery from concept to combat since the P-51 Mustang of 1943.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
Login
Become a Member
To continue reading the rest of this article, please login.Forgot password?
To unlock all Australian Aviation magazine content and again unlimited access to our daily news and features, become a member today! A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
“We mobilised a significant industry base and every resource at our disposal, and delivered the first Federal Aviation Administration certified aircraft in six months and three weeks,” said Lt Gen David Deptula, the deputy chief of staff for the USAF’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance office. “It began flying combat sorties in less than eight months.”
The aircraft feature sensors and datalinks designed to provide ISR support to ground forces, and have proven invaluable since being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.