Fokker Services, part of Stork Aerospace (Hall 2B, J9), announced yesterday that the Royal Netherland air force has placed an order to have the avionics modernised on three (K)DC-10s which it uses for transport and in-flight refuelling.

Stork said the two-and-a-half year contract is valued at more than e30 million ($36 million).

The (K)DC-10 is the Royal Netherlands air force's largest cargo aircraft. It is fitted with an ultra-modern boom-tank system to allow in-flight refuelling of Lockheed Martin F-16s.

The (K)DC-10 can also rapidly transport large cargo and people over long distances. The (K)DC-10 aircraft of the Royal Netherlands air force are regularly used for international humanitarian aid missions.

Project

Fokker Services is the main contractor for this project and is among others working closely with Boeing, type certificate holder for the DC-10.

Tasks that fall within the scope of the project include design and layout, development, installation, integration, testing and certification of state-of-the-art cockpit avionics and peripherals, to support the present and future operations of the Royal Netherlands air force in an international context.

This recent order for modification and upgrading of aircraft adds to a growing list of work Fokker Services has carried out. This includes modifying two new Gulfstream Vs into special mission aircraft for the Japan coast guard and converting two of the Royal Netherlands air force's Fokker 60s into dedicated maritime surveillance aircraft.

Source: Flight Daily News