Australian manufacturer launches new air force

[Oqaab]

Australian manufacturer launches new air force

By Gerry Carman
June 30, 2004

The slow-flying Seeker reconnaissance aircraft will be the first plane in the new Iraqi air force.
Picture:Supplied

A small Australian aircraft manufacturer has made an international breakthrough by selling the new Iraqi air force its first aircraft.

Seabird Aviation, based in Hervey Bay in Queensland, has won an initial order worth about $A2.8 million for its SB7L-360 Seeker, a reconnaissance aircraft. The Iraqi air force is expected to eventually get 16 Seekers, according to US officials.

"It's a milestone, a great opportunity after a lot of hard work," Seabird's managing director, Peter Adams, said.

"The sale was through our joint venture company in Jordan and follows demonstrations to the Iraqis and influential US officials."

The Seekers will be fitted with infra-red systems and used to patrol oil pipelines targeted by terrorists. They will also be used for border patrol work.

The Seeker, designed by the Queensland company and certificated in 1994, can stay in the air for about five hours and fly very slowly - essential to the work it will do in Iraq.

Seabird has two demonstration aircraft in Jordan, one of which will go to the Iraqi air force, with the second scheduled to be flown from Brisbane at the end of this week.

Mr Adams said the company expected the sale to Iraq to open the door to a market for about 300 aircraft in the Middle East.

Link
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/06/29/1088487965881.html?oneclick=true

 

[srirangan]

That's a beauty!!

 

[Aussie Digger]

I hope the surveillance suite has a VERY good standoff capability, they look awfully susceptable to ground fire to me. Another instance of pilots sitting on Body armour rather than wearing it eh?

 

[gf0012-aust]

I hope the surveillance suite has a VERY good standoff capability, they look awfully susceptable to ground fire to me. Another instance of pilots sitting on Body armour rather than wearing it eh?

You have to give it to the King of Jordan for being a mover and shaker. He saw the plane, told his people to do an assessment, liked it more and negotiated a production license and built a factory for it.

A real decision maker!

 

[Aussie Digger]

I have no doubt about it. My last comment was half in jest and half serious observation though...

 

[gf0012-aust]

I have no doubt about it. My last comment was half in jest and half serious observation though...

You'd want to be in a benign environment...

 

[Aussie Digger]

I wouldn't describe Iraq as a benign environment though. They put a round through a Herky the other day, an aircraft that looks much more capable of tolerating gunfire than this, particularly with the armour inserts the H models (some) have received...

 

[gf0012-aust]

I wouldn't describe Iraq as a benign environment though.

hence my hanging response..

 

[Aussie Digger]

Of course, (smacks forehead)... :help

 

[Deltared075]

Even a simple AK47 can kill the pilot!

for peace time porpose?

 

[Aussie Digger]

I'm guessing so. If Apaches have been shot down over Iraq, this thing won't last...

 

[Salman78]

the word iraqi in the subject line would have been quite helpful anyway just read in news today that US has cleared the way for US arms sales for Iraq... Back off everyone!!!

 

[Deltared075]

the word iraqi in the subject line would have been quite helpful anyway just read in news today that US has cleared the way for US arms sales for Iraq... Back off everyone!!!

What kind of arms sales? some old bullet and gun? and didn't the money should go for reconstruction first? Now they going to pay for some second-hand junk?

 

[india2020]

so what does iraq want to do with that?spay insectiside on its desert? :roll The only job it can do for the iraqi AF can be search and reccon and i cant think anything beyond that :

 

[gf0012-aust]

so what does iraq want to do with that?spay insectiside on its desert? :roll The only job it can do for the iraqi AF can be search and reccon and i cant think anything beyond that :

This is the second time you have responded to a post and failed to even make a cursory review of information that has been glaringly declared on issues of form or function.

It is a recce plane, have you read the entire thread properly? It is not a fixed wing combatant, and has not been employed to do that in any shape of form. At best beyond recce it could be employed for FAC if so desired.