Kenya to field Air Tractor light attack turboprops

[Zarvan]

Subject to approval by Congress, Kenya is to receive 12 Air Tractor light attack turboprops to help combat al-Shabaab militants. Source: Air Tractor

Kenya is set to receive 12 Air Tractor AT-802L intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and light attack turboprops and two AT-504 trainer turboprops from the United States, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) disclosed on 23 January.

The notification of State Department approval for the procurement includes weapons and contractor support from Air Tractor and the mission systems integrator (and prime) L3 Technologies. It is valued at USD418 million.

As noted by the DSCA, the AT-802Ls will augment the Kenyan Air Force's Northrop F-5 Tiger II combat aircraft in the country's fight against al-Shabaab militants that are operating in the north and across the border in Somalia. Being a rugged turboprop platform, the AT-802L can be forward deployed to austere locations closer to the battlefield than the more refined and maintenance-heavy F-5.

No timeline for delivery was issued, though the DSCA did note that Kenya is a troop contributor to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). This mission is due to formally end in 2018, though the requirement to combat Islamist militants in the region will no doubt continue after this date.

The deal must now be approved by Congress.

Air Tractor launched its AT-802U ISR and light attack turboprop at the Paris Airshow in 2009. The AT-802L designation is a new one for the platform, and has likely come from the later teaming with L3 Technologies (Air Tractor had not responded to a request for clarification at the time of writing). Air Tractor was originally partnered with IOMAX as its prime, during which time a contract for 24 AT-802 (sometimes designated AT-802i) aircraft for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was secured. However, this partnership fell apart not long after and Air Tractor continued on its own before joining up with L3 Technologies. As IOMAX was the prime on the UAE contract, Air Tractor and L3 Technologies needed to redo the process of weapons certification for the AT-802U.

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