Seabird Aviation Jordan (Stand E916) makes its Dubai airshow debut hoping to tap into what it sees as a growing market for ‘eye in the sky' law enforcement aircraft.
The company, a new joint venture between King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau in Jordan and Seabird Aviation Australia, is displaying its Seabird Seeker SB7L-360 aerial patrol aircraft, which specialises in surveillance and intelligence gathering as well as border, oil pipeline and environmental protection patrols.
Seabird Aviation Jordan's full production facilities will be located at Queen Alia International Airport near the Jordanian capital Amman. It is currently developing a military version of the Seeker, dubbed the Stormer.
Seabird chairman Alec Mackenzie says the company hopes the Seeker will gain maximum exposure at Dubai 2003.
Potential
"We also hope to increase awareness of the importance of surveillance platforms and how the Seeker can achieve that. Gaining orders is also a prime objective," he says.
Seabird claims the Seeker is cheaper to acquire, operate and maintain than a conventional helicopter and has little credible or cost-effective competition.
The company is currently eyeing up regional business opportunities and is bidding for a potential order in Iraq.
"The current situation in Iraq has opened a significant opportunity for aircraft of this type with strong interest expressed already in the Seeker programme from the Iraqi CPA (Coalition Provisional Authority) and from US companies in receipt of contracts for security and surveillance work," Mackenzie says.
The UAE is another potential Seabird customer. "We are aware, from enquiries received, that there is a funded and endorsed programme for a border and coastal surveillance programme for the UAE for which a significant number of aircraft will be required," he says.
Seabird says that despite a softening market for military aircraft worldwide, the market for airborne surveillance craft is growing at an annual rate of 20%.
Source: Flight Daily News
