Textron Aviation Wins $12.5M for Iraq Air Force Peace Dragon Program

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Textron Aviation a contract valued $12.5 million for the Iraq Air Force Peace Dragon Program.

This modification adds the six months to Option Year Three of the multi-year basic contract.

Work will be performed in Wichita, Kansas, and is expected to be completed March 31, 2021.

In 2007, Beechcraft, then Raytheon Aircraft Co., won a $132 million Air Force contract to supply six twin-turboprop King Airs for the Peace Dragon King Air 350 program, including five intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance planes and one transport version.

The company provides ongoing maintenance and other support for the aircraft.

The King Airs were developed for special mission applications.

Developed for special mission applications, the King Air 350ER turboprops utilized in the Peace Dragon Program include heavyweight landing gear, long range nacelle-mounted fuel tanks and other airframe modifications to support a 1,500 pound increase in gross weight. Adding the nacelle fuel tanks provides the King Air 350ER with more than eight hours of endurance and 2,400 nautical miles of range. The airplanes are equipped with Lynx-2 synthetic aperture radar units built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems of San Diego, California.