Textron To Build Five Beechcraft King Air 360s for Australian Police

Under the police contract, the airplanes will include extended range, heavy weight and cargo door options to aid in supporting law enforcement missions. Textron said the airplanes will also come with a high-density seating configuration and kits to protect their undersides when operating from gravel airstrips. They will be based in Brisbane.

“We’re honored the Queensland Police Service has chosen the Beechcraft King Air to support their law enforcement mission,” said Bob Gibbs, vice president of special mission sales for Textron Aviation. “The King Air continues to be selected for a wide range of special mission roles around the world due to the aircraft’s capabilities and reliability,” he added.

The King Air 360, which Beechcraft announced in 2020, offers a range of options aimed at special missions, including air ambulance, aerial survey and intelligence, and surveillance and reconnaissance or ISR operations. The company said it expects to deliver the aircraft to the Queensland Police in 2023.

TRU Simulation + Training said the full flight simulator or FFS for the RFDS will be Level D qualified and reconfigurable to support training for the group’s King Air fleet, which includes King Air 260, 350, and 360 models.