The Kenya Air Force has taken delivery of its first C-145 Skytruck twin transport aircraft from the United States.
A C-145 was spotted earlier in February in Kenya and comes after C-145A 08-0310 (construction number AJE003-10) was seen at Moncton, New Brunswick (Canada) and on 24 January apparently on its way to Kenya. Scramble magazine also reported the aircraft had arrived in Belgium on 27 January and departed for Croatia on the 28th.
The C-145 is the US Air Force designation for the Polish PZL Mielec M28 – Skytruck. The aircraft entered service from 2009, and acquired through Sierra Nevada Corporation, which also prepares the aircraft for their specific roles prior to delivery. Skytrucks can perform infiltration, exfiltration, resupply and other missions as well as air force training.
In August 2016 the United States allocated three surplus C-145As to Kenya, after it had requested six under the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) programme. They are worth $9 million (versus the $30 million spent on their acquisition). The EDA database lists three aircraft delivered to Kenya.
In September 2019, Kenya Air Force pilots and loadmasters underwent training on the C-145 at Hulburt Field, Florida, where they trained with airmen from the US Air Force’s 818th Mobility Support Advisory Squadron and 492d Special Operations Wing.
By sending Kenya the three Skytrucks, the US commandos will be boosting the African country’s air defence capacity while also preparing the way for future joint special operations.
The C-145A is a twin-engine, high-wing aircraft with twin vertical fins and a non-retractable tricycle landing gear capable of short takeoff and landings to unprepared runways. The C-145A is reconfigurable to support both air, land and airdrop of cargo (max 2,400 pounds) and personnel, casualty evacuation, combat search and rescue, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
Powered by two 1 100 hp Pratt &Whitney Canada PT6-65B turboprops which are protected by inlet particle separators, the C-145A can carry a maximum of 16 passengers or 10 combat rigged paratroopers. Missions can be conducted to prepared and semi-prepared airfields. The 7 500 kg aircraft can carry around 2 300 kg over 450 km while at cruising speeds of up to 356 km/h.
New build M28s have been offered to various African countries, with South African aviation company Safomar the sales representative for Sikorsky Aircraft (which owns PZL Mielec) in six African countries.
By Victor Shalton Odhiambo
