Ravn Aerospace, formerly known as AirUSA, is an American defense contractor based at Houston Spaceport in Houston, Texas. It offers adversary air, close air support, Joint Terminal Attack Controller, and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance training to the United States Department of Defense.[1]
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Don Kirlin |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas |
| Services | Contract air services to the US Department of Defense |
| Website | https://www.ravnaero.com/ |
Ravn Aero's first aircraft, a Czech Aero L-39 Albatros, was purchased in 1994.[2] Then, two years later, the company purchased two MiG-29s from Kyrgyzstan.[3] In 2019, Air USA 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.[4]
In March 2020 the Australian Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price announced that up to 46 ex-RAAF Hornets, as well as associated spare parts and test equipment inventory, would be sold to Air USA.[5] In December 2021 the Australian Defence Magazine reported that the status of the Australian Hornet sale was "unknown".[6] The contract to sell former RAAF Hornets to Ravn Aerospace lapsed in December 2023 with none having been transferred.[7]
World Aerospace Museum edit
The company briefly operated the World Aerospace Museum at the Quincy Regional Airport near Quincy, Illinois.[8][9]
History edit
Prior to becoming Ravn Aerospace, the company was known as AirUSA. Following the introduction of the Hawk 67 acquired from the ROKAF, two accidents occurred, with the latter resulting in the death of an innocent bystander on the ground. The subsequent NTSB investigation found substantial shortcomings in operational procedures, including deviations from the approved flight manual, and an inadequate stores clearance of a SUU-20 stores dispenser[10]. The USMC subsequently prohibited further use of the Hawk on CAS contracts and they were stored until being reactivated to support the CAF CAS program in 2019[11].
Fleet edit
As of April 2022, Air USA possesses or has purchased:[12][13]
- 4 Mikoyan MiG-29
- 6 Aero L-39 Albatros
- 10 BAE Systems Hawk 67 (formerly South Korean)
- 5 Pilatus PC-9 (formerly Australian)
- 17 Cessna T337 Turbo Skymaster
- 10 Northrop F-5E Tiger II
References edit
- ^ Colbert, Ethan. "Air USA inks multi-billion dollar contract with U.S. Air Force". Herald-Whig. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
- ^ "About". Air USA. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
- ^ Hoffman, Carl (1 October 2005). "Building Your Own Air Force, One Mig at a Time". Wired. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ Donald, David. "U.S. Air Force Awards $6.4 Billion of Adversary Contracts". Aviation International News. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
- ^ "RAAF Classic Hornets get a new lease of life - Australian Defence Magazine". www.australiandefence.com.au. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
- ^ Pittaway, Nigel (2 December 2021). "Air Force farewells Hornets". Australian Defence Magazine. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ Tillett, Andrew (8 December 2023). "Lapsed contract could deliver Aussie fighter jets to Ukraine". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ "[Homepage]". World Aerospace Museum. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
- ^ "Fly-Outs: World Aerospace Museum". AOPA. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
- ^ Aerossurance (2016-08-14). "Yuma Hawk Accident: Lessons on Ex-Military Aircraft Operation". Aerossurance. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
- ^ Foster, Peter (April 2024). "Ravn's Hawks arrive at Lakenheath". Aviation News (April 2024): 32–33.
- ^ Rogoway, Tyler (2020-04-09). "This Man Owns The World's Most Advanced Private Air Force After Buying 46 F/A-18 Hornets". The Drive. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
- ^ "Aircraft". Air USA. Retrieved 2022-04-26.