The Air Force has asked Hawker Beechcraft to provide six additional MC-12W Liberty Project Aircraft after the company completed delivery of the first 23 of the intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance turboprops, according to a company release. The first of these modified King Air 350ER aircraft flew a combat mission over Iraq in June following a rush procurement effort that then-Air Forces Central boss Lt. Gen. Gary North called miraculous. USAF had expected to begin fielding the aircraft in April, but modifying seven different configurations of the used King Air aircraft in the initial order proved more problematic than anticipated. The slow start up dismayed Defense Secretary Robert Gates, but he praised workers in August during a visit to the Greenville, Tex., production facility, noting that some of the aircraft on the line then were soon destined to support operations in Afghanistan.
Planning an Air Show Is Hard. At Andrews, It’s Even Harder
Sept. 17, 2025
Joint Base Andrews opened its flightline this month to thousands of civilians, exposing a normally restricted airbase that regularly hosts the president and foreign dignitaries to a curious public eager to see current and historic military aircraft up close and in action.
