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Revision as of 17:15, 22 February 2022

Draken International, LLC
Company typePrivate
FoundedFlorida, USA, 2012 (2012)
FounderJared Isaacman
HeadquartersLakeland, Florida, USA
Area served
United States
Key people
Joe Ford, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Bill "Sweet" Tart, Chief Operating Officer (COO)
ServicesContract air services to the armed forces, including airborne adversary support, flight training, threat simulation, electronic warfare support, aerial refueling, research and testing
OwnerThe Blackstone Group
Websitehttps://www.draken.aero/

Draken International, LLC is an American provider of tactical fighter aircraft for contract air services including military and defense industry customers. The firm is based at the Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida and also has an operating base at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

Draken offers airborne adversary support (Red Air), Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC), Close Air Support (CAS), flight training, threat simulation, electronic warfare support, aerial refueling, research, and testing services to the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. defense contractors and aerospace firms, provided by a fleet of former military aircraft. The company CEO is Joe Ford.[1]

History

An A-4 Skyhawk and a Mig-21 on display in front of company headquarters.
A Draken Douglas A-4K

Draken was established by Jared Isaacman at Lakeland Linder International Airport in January 2012.[2] In 2015, the company was awarded contracts to provide training for the Air National Guard at Volk Field in Wisconsin, for the U.S. Marine Corps Joint Tactical Air Control at Cherry Point, North Carolina, and at 29 Palms, California, as well as providing “adversary support” at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. It also won a contract with the French Navy.[3]

In March 2018, Draken announced a $6.7 million expansion of its headquarters and repair infrastructure at Lakeland Linder International Airport.[1]

On 1 June 2018, the Pentagon announced that the Air Force had awarded Draken a $280 million contract to continue providing training services for the 57th Adversary Tactics Group at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, as well as Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and Hill Air Force Base in Utah.[4]

In November 2018, the Air National Guard (ANG) awarded Draken a five-year contract to provide red air services to support key combat readiness training exercises throughout the United States.[5]

Draken provides Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) training and Close Air Support (CAS) for the United States Marine Corps (USMC) at MCAS Cherry Point and MCAS Yuma and United States Navy's (USN) Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC) at NAS Fallon.[6]

Draken was one of seven companies awarded an IDIQ contract to support the USAF's Combat Air Force Contract Air Support (CAF CAS) program in October 2019.[7]

In 2019, Isaacman sold Draken to The Blackstone Group.

On May 24, 2021, a Mirage F1 operating in the adversarial role crashed near Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. The pilot was killed.[8][9] Military officials and the National Transportation Safety Board launched investigations.[10]

Fleet

Aero L-159E aircraft operated by Draken International

With approximately 70 jets, the company operates the largest fleet of privately owned former military tactical jet aircraft in the world. The company's fleet as of 2013 included:[11]

In 2020, to supplement the fleet of former Spanish Air Force aircraft, Draken imported the first of up to 25 former Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) Mirage F1CJ, DJ and EJ aircraft.[18] In December 2021, it was announced that Draken International will buy up to 12 of the Royal Norwegian Air Force's F-16s.[19]

Aircrew

The company's pilots are a combination of US Air Force, US Navy and US Marine Corps tactical jet pilots who are retired from those services or who continue to serve part-time in the reserve components of those services, including the Air National Guard. Their backgrounds include USAF Weapons School Graduates and Instructors, USN Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) Graduates and Instructors, USAF Aggressor Pilots, USN/USMC Adversary Pilots, USAF Air Liaison Officers, former USAF Thunderbirds demonstration pilots and USAF/USN/USMC Forward Air Controller - Airborne (FAC-A) Instructors, with some of the more senior pilots having previously served as commanders (USAF) and commanding officers (USN/USMC) of operational squadrons, groups and wings while on active duty.[20]

Activities outside the U.S.

Draken International and Secapem, a French manufacturer of towed aerial gunnery banner, have created a joint venture called SDTS utilising a number of A-4N Skyhawk aircraft.[21]

In September 2020 Draken International purchased Cobham Aviation Services based in Bournemouth, UK, and renamed it Draken Europe.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Draken International (2021). "Who We Are". draken.aero. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; March 9, 2021 suggested (help)
  2. ^ "Aviation company finds success in Lakeland". Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  3. ^ "Aviation company finds success in Lakeland". Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  4. ^ "Contracts for June 1, 2018". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  5. ^ "173rd Fighter Wing expands training with contract adversary air". 173rd Fighter Wing. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  6. ^ "Draken International Awarded USMC Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) Contract | Draken International". www.drakenintl.com. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  7. ^ Donald, David. "U.S. Air Force Awards $6.4 Billion of Adversary Contracts". Aviation International News. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  8. ^ "Draken pilot dies in Mirage F1 crash near Nellis Air Force Base". May 25, 2021.
  9. ^ Phelps, Mark (May 25, 2021). "'Red Air' Dassault Mirage F1 Crashes Near Nellis AFB, Pilot Killed". AVweb. Archived from the original on May 27, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  10. ^ Ritter, Ken (May 26, 2021). "NTSB, military probing fatal jet crash near Nellis Air Force Base". The Air Force Times. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  11. ^ Tegler, Jan (July 22, 2013). "Draken International Commercial Air Services". Defence Media Network. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  12. ^ "Aircraft Inventory - Draken International". drakenintl.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  13. ^ "Draken International acquires ex Kiwi Skyhawks". australianaviation.com.au. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  14. ^ "Government sells L-159 subsonics". Ministry of Defence & Armed forces of the Czech Republic. January 5, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  15. ^ Draken International. "Dassault Mirage F1". www.drakenintl.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  16. ^ Draken International. "Mikoyan MIG-21BIS". www.drakenintl.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2020.
  17. ^ "Draken picks up 12 South African-cheetahs". thedrive.com. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  18. ^ Staff, Blog Before Flight. "Draken International receives first former Royal Jordanian Air Force Mirage F1". Blog Before Flight - Aerospace and Defense News. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  19. ^ Forsvarsdepartementet (December 2, 2021). "Norge selger et mindre antall F-16 til Draken International". Regjeringen.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  20. ^ "Capt. Dale Snodgrass USN (Ret.), Chief Pilot / Deployed Operations | Draken International". Drakenintl.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  21. ^ "SDTS". SECAPEM.
  22. ^ "Draken Europe Launches Brand". Draken Europe. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
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