Draken International Provides Close Air Support Training for USMC Joint Terminal Air Controllers (JTAC)
LAKELAND, Fla., June 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Draken International, the leading provider of 4th generation tactical flight support, has been contracted to provide close air support training for the United States Marine Corps. Flying the industry's most advanced Douglas A-4K Skyhawk's, Draken is able to employ training ordnance with pinpoint accuracy using sophisticated avionics and highly skilled former-military pilots. This unique service results in considerable cost savings for the USMC and preserves organic assets, such as the F-18 Hornet, while still achieving necessary training.
The Draken-operated A-4K Skyhawk's are uniquely configured to meet the USMC close air support training mission. This includes a modern pulse Doppler radar, counter-measures, Heads Up Display (HUD), HOTAS, inert ordinance delivery, long endurance, low operating costs, and other advanced avionics that deliver with military accuracy. The speed and maneuverability of the A-4 Skyhawk give the JTAC trainee the same 'real time delivery' of aircraft currently operated by the Marine Corps, like the F/A-18 and the AV/8B Harrier.
"We are excited to be delivering a professional, safe, and on-time training solution using our A-4K Skyhawk's. The Skyhawk proudly served the USMC and USN for decades and it is personally exciting to continue that legacy," states Lt. Col Jeff Scott, a recently retired USMC F-35 pilot now serving as Draken's Director of Business Development.
Jared Isaacman, CEO of Draken International, states, "We have built a company with a tremendous fleet of safe, sustainable and credible fighter aircraft. In addition, we have assembled the finest group of former military pilots and maintenance technicians. We have spared no expense to ensure we operate the most professional flight support training program in the world. We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities and the value of our cost-saving solution to the United States Marine Corps."
The current fiscal situation has resulted in significantly constrained defense budgets on a global level. In order to achieve readiness, militaries around the world are turning to innovative solutions to achieve training objectives. The close air support training on behalf of the USMC is just one example of several cost-saving solutions Draken is able to provide using commercially operated fighter aircraft. Other missions include air-to-air threat simulation ("Red Air"), research and development, flight instruction to military students, Navy ship defense training, and other cost-saving services using the company's fleet of tactical fighter aircraft.
For more information about Draken International, visit www.drakenintl.com.
About Draken International
Based in Lakeland, Florida, Draken International has set a new standard in tactical flight support. With a fleet of over 70 fighter aircraft, the company operates the largest privately-owned fleet of ex-military aircraft in the world. The aircraft are used to support various types of military training objectives around the globe, providing a tremendous cost savings over the use of traditional military fighter assets. For additional information, visit www.drakenintl.com.
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Contact:
Sean "Stroker" Gustafson
VP, Client Relations
Tel: 800-936-4079 ext. 703
Fax: 305-503-6790
[email protected]
SOURCE Draken International
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