A newly acquired Air Tractor AT-802F Fire Boss for the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) passed through Malta International Airport in Luqa on May 24, while making its delivery flight to Jordan.
The new AT-802F (serial 2560) started its long journey to the Middle East at Lake Norman Airpark General Airport in Mooresville, North Carolina, and made stops at Bangor International Airport, Maine; St John’s International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada; Santa Maria Airport in the Azores, Portugal; Jerez Airport, Spain; and Malta International Airport, before arriving at King Hussein International Airport (also known as Aqaba Airport) in Jordan.
This aircraft joins a number of AT-802s that have been acquired by the RJAF in recent years. In November 2013, the RJAF received six former United Arab Emirates Air Force & Air Defence (UAEAF&AD) IOMAX AT-802is that are operated in support of counterinsurgency missions. Jordan later received a further four AT-802i aircraft from L3 Communications, which were delivered from the US (with the highest serial being 2559) in 2016. Unlike the RJAF’s existing AT-802s, which all sport a dark grey livery and are equipped with hardpoints, this latest aircraft has received a yellow/blue paint scheme and is clearly fitted with agricultural/aerial firefighting equipment under its wings.
The RJAF AT-802 fleet is assigned to the Prince Al-Hussein Bin Abdullah II Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Wing’s No 25 Squadron at King Abdullah II Air Base in northern Jordan. RJAF AT-802s have already been involved in combat operations in the region, having been used in the fight against ISIS near to and just over Jordan’s border with Syria.
