More AC-208s for Afghan National Army

Further to an announcement by Orbital ATK in September 2017 that it had an order valued at $69.4 million for armed intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for Afghanistan, the United States Air Force posted an acquisition notice in December 2017. The notice gives US companies with concerns about the deal an opportunity to comment on the award of the competition to Orbital ATK without a competition. (Non-US companies are not eligible to bid.) The deal will see the delivery of seven AC-208 Expeditor gunships to a United States Air Force training centre in Fort Worth, Texas, before onward delivery to Afghanistan for use by the Afghan National Army.

The AC-208 Expeditor is armed with 70mm (2.75-inch) guided rockets and Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, sensors, target designators, data links and self-protection systems.