July 24, 200620 yr A pilot friend of mine has a new job, but it means he will have to move from this island to a much smaller one in the Caribbean. Poor fella ... From Defense Industry Daily Canadian Firm Wins $100M Maritime Reconnaissance Contract from Dutch Posted 24-Jul-2006 07:18 In the fall of 2003, the Dutch government announced the retirement and sale of its P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft fleet, including 2 aircraft stationed at Curacao that flew missions for the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. The Orions were sold to Germany (8) and Portugal (5), but their services needed to be replaced. Australia's contracted public-private Coastwatch approach offers a solid model for such situations, and now similar Dash-8 aircraft with maritime patrol mission suites will be operating in the Caribbean - operated and managed by a private Canadian firm.... Provincial Airlines, a subsidiary of Provincial Aerospace Ltd. in Newfoundland, Canada, has won a USD $100-million contract to supply reconnaissance aircraft and services in the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba for 10 years. The 2 DC-8 aircraft will be purchased, outfitted, and operated by Provincial airlines; they will be used to save lives at sea, track down offenders on environmental, economic, and fisheries matters, and intercept drug transports in the Caribbean Sea. The St. John's-based aerospace and defence contracting company has over 25 years' experience in air reconnaissance operations, and maintains other bases in Barbados & Trinidad and Tobago. Yet the firm pointed to its 20-year partnership with Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans as a major reason for its success with this contract. The contract with the Netherlands government will add about 75 new full-time technical and professional jobs to Provincial's workforce.
Create an account or sign in to comment