7 November 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The U.S. Army has awarded a contract to Textron Aviation for an indefinite number of planes up to $100 million over five years. The contract is for Beechcraft and Cessna planes in support of Foreign Military Sales.
So far, the contract calls for three Beechcraft King Air 360 Extended Range. Two will go to the Peruvian Naval Aviation Force and one to the Ecuadorian Naval Aviation.
Other planes in the contract include the Cessna SkyCourier, Cessna Grand Caravan EX, and Beechcraft King Air 260 turboprop aircraft, all manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc.
The contract is “indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity,” or IDIQ.
“This IDIQ aligns with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s recent tasking memo directing improvement and acceleration of DOD’s institutional processes to execute FMS cases. It will provide highly capable commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) aircraft that can be equipped with COTS releasable technology, and it will accelerate acquisition and contracting timelines from many months or years to weeks,” said Bob Gibbs, vice president of Special Mission Sales for Textron Aviation, in a news release. “We are honored the U.S. Army created this multiyear IDIQ contract with Textron Aviation, which provides the ability to rapidly procure COTS aircraft and modification for FMS allies and partner nations.”
The first three Beechcraft King Airs will perform maritime patrol to enforce the sovereignty of Peru and Ecuador over their respective Exclusive Economic Zones.