Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) signed contract with the bell for the procurement of 10 Bell 505 light helicopters on the sidelines of SOFEX 2022.
The contract also includes flight training devices and computer-based training to support basic and advanced pilot training at the RJAF’s King Hussein Air College in Mafraq. This deal is also considered as a part of Jordanian armed force modernization program.
Regarding this latest arms deal by Jordan, Defense Arabia interviewed Mr. Patrick Moulay, SVP, International Sales, Bell. In his current role, Patrick is responsible for leading the sales and marketing strategies around the globe, working with the global sales team to promote Bell Textron’s current and next generation commercial products.
Bell 505 is a basic military trainer.. How will it help the young military cadets of the Royal Jordanian Air Force?
What makes the Bell 505 so successful is precisely the simplicity of the helicopter. The primary advantage of this helicopter is that it’s technologically advanced with the most modern avionics to prepare pilots to grow through the military fleet of the RJAF.
The glass cockpit provides excellent visibility for the passengers and pilots.. So it’s a perfect trainer to prepare the pilots to move on to much bigger aircraft with sophisticated avionics.
When will the new Bell 505 helicopters be delivered to the Royal Jordanian Air Force?
The helicopters have an expected delivery date in 2023 and 2024.
Five helicopters will be delivered in 2023 and five helicopters will be delivered in 2024. All the training devices will be delivered along the way starting from 2023.
Will the new helicopters replace the old fleet of trainers of the Royal Jordanian Air Force?
No, the Bell 505 will be replacing the existing fleet of trainers of the RJAF. Those helicopters have reached their life limit, so the RJAF decided to upgrade their fleet to the Bell 505.
With the Jordanian AS332 Super Puma helicopters aging, what other solutions can Bell provide for Jordan?
When looking at the Bell portfolio, the Bell 525 could be a suitable fit for the RJAF, and for military troop transport and Search and Rescue (SAR) missions.
Will there be technical modifications on the Bell 505 helicopters to suit the Middle East climate?
The Bell 505 has proven itself in Middle East operations as evidence by the 12 505s operated by Horizon International Flight Academy in the UAE. The Bell 505 is certified to perform in harsh climates and challenging terrain. Thus, this is why the RJAF have chosen the 505 platform to operate in these temperatures.
What does Bell 505 helicopters offer in terms of safety, performance and avionics?
What makes the Bell 505 so successful is precisely the simplicity of the helicopter. From the glass cockpit standpoint, everything is integrated in the cockpit.
So it’s a perfect trainer to prepare the pilots to move on to much bigger aircraft with sophisticated avionics. So the primary advantage of this helicopter is that it’s technically advanced with the most modern avionics to prepare the pilots to grow through the military fleet of the RJAF.
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