The Nigerian Air Force has taken delivery of its second and final Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft from aviation giant Textron.
The aircraft is scheduled to join its sister plane, delivered last year, in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and transport missions following system updates.
Both aircraft will also take on patrols in Nigeria’s maritime territories alongside a comprehensive aerial surveillance group made up of ATR 42 aircraft, Cessna Citation CJ3s, a Diamond DA42, and two Super King Air planes.
The acquisition is part of Nigeria’s plan to bolster its air capabilities with newer units after a Beechcraft King Air B350 crash that left seven dead, according to Military Africa.
The Beechcraft 360ER
The 360ER is a variation of Beechcraft’s Super King Air civil aircraft, with a cockpit featuring upgraded avionics, digital pressurization, and autothrottle functions. The aircraft cabin also has 10 percent lower altitude pressure.
It has a maximum range of 2,922 miles (4,702 kilometers) and maximum speed of 350 miles (560 kilometers) per hour.
Operators of the series include Canada, Sri Lanka, and the US.
