After Draken Europe won a three-year contract to provide fast jet red air services in the UK, it has teamed up with Aero Vodochody to provide maintenance and support to its fleet of L-159 light attack aircraft
The partnership was announced on July 15, at the first day of the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford, Gloucestershire. The Czech based aircraft manufacturer will also provide training on top of maintenance for Draken Europe’s jets.
Draken Europe won the first ever outsourced military red air contract which was worth £100M across the three-year period and 2,000 flying hours each year back in April this year. This was post the RAF’s adversary unit, 100 Squadron operating Hawk T1s retired the month prior, leaving a large capability gap in the UK MOD training programme that needed to be filled quickly.
The company now operates a fleet of eight Aero Vodochody L-159Es from Teesside International Airport in Northern England. Unlike the Hawks, the L-159E can offer a capability enhancement through its FIAR Grifo air to air radar and radar warning receiver.
Paul Armstrong, CEO of Draken Europe said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Aero Vodochody to deliver cost effective maintenance and training solutions for our current and future ‘Red Air’ contracts”.
