Textron Aviation said it was awarded a contract by the U.S. Army for two Cessna Grand Caravan EX turboprops. Under the contract, the Djiboutian Air Force (DAF) will own and operate the aircraft.
The transaction marks the third order under a recent indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract that provides up to $100 million for the acquisition of aircraft from Textron over a five-year period.
“The two special missions Cessna Grand Caravan EX aircraft will be Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance equipped to ensure the border sovereignty of the country of Djibouti,” said Bob Gibbs, vice president, Special Mission Sales for Textron Aviation. “This multiyear contract allows the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command to rapidly procure Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) aircraft and modifications from Textron Aviation for our Foreign Military Sale allies and partner nations. We are honored to assist in advancing U.S. national security and foreign policy interests by providing our solutions under the IDIQ and we look forward to further cooperation with the U.S. Army.”
The Cessna Grand Caravan EX is tailored for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, and the aircraft will primarily serve to reinforce the border sovereignty of Djibouti.
Caravans fulfill a broad range of roles that include charter and regional airline operations, freight, humanitarian, VIP transport, skydiving, and other recreational missions. Known for its reliability, versatility, and low operating costs, the Grand Caravan EX also exhibits impressive performance, with its engine providing 867 hp and a climb rate of 1,275 feet per minute.
“The two special missions Cessna Grand Caravan EX aircraft will be Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance equipped to ensure the border sovereignty of the country of Djibouti,” Textron Aviation Special Mission Sales VP Bob Gibbs stated.
The Grand Caravan EX has a top speed of 304 to 343 kilometers (189 to 213 miles) per hour between its Amphibian and Pod variants.
The 12.7-meter (41-foot) system is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s PT6A-140 engine boasting 867 horsepower and a four-blade aluminum propeller developed by McCauley.
Textron’s latest agreement is part of an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity framework signed in 2023 to supply aerial capabilities for the US Department of Defense’s allied partners over five years.
“We are honored to assist in advancing US national security and foreign policy interests by providing our solutions under the [indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity] and we look forward to further cooperation with the US Army,” Gibbs said.
The ISR-configured special mission Grand Caravan aircraft have seen use other areas in Africa such as in Tunisia. Tunisia is to receive a total of four Textron 208 Grand Caravan EX aircraft to be used for special missions over North Africa, in a short while. D2 Government Solutions Maintenance team is providing training to Tunisian Air Force Mechanics on the Cessna 208 in the United States.
Report of Tunisia acquiring the unarmed special mission aircraft first came to the fore in 2019, the acquisition falls under a US Department of Defence Section 333 capacity building initiative in support of US Africom.
The delivery is part of the US government initiative to equip multiple African nations with a combined 16 Grand Caravan EX aircraft via the Foreign Military Sales process. Past recipients are Cameroon, Chad, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, and Uganda, Textron says. Two Cessna C-208B light reconnaissance aircraft were transferred to Chad in May 2018, intended to help its forces fight a jihadist insurgency.
This African Partnership Flight initiative brings together a series of collaborative engagements between African nations to strengthen U.S. strategic partnerships with key countries in Africa, exchange ideas on aviation-related topics, and enhance regional cooperation and interoperability.