Amsterdam Schiphol airport-based business aviation MRO provider JetSupport, in partnership with PAL Aerospace, a Canadian aircraft engineering and modification specialist, has been awarded a contract to support maritime surveillance aircraft and services for the Netherlands Coastguard. The contract, executed under the authority of the Defence Material Organization of the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands, will see JetSupport and PAL Aerospace modify and deliver two DHC-8 aircraft, provide crew training on all systems and support the operation of the aircraft for an initial 10-year period with an option to extend for two additional one-year terms.

“Winning this contract in partnership with PAL Aerospace confirms our status as a leading provider of technical services and support solutions for the aerospace industry in the Netherlands,” says Ton van Deursen, MD of JetSupport. “We are excited to be a part of the team selected to deliver these vital aircraft and look forward to continuing our support of the Netherlands Coastguard in this essential operation for the next decade.”

The aircraft will be missionised primarily for the purpose of providing air reconnaissance capacity in the North Sea for the Netherlands Coastguard. The aircraft's tasks will include support for search and rescue, law enforcement and surveillance activities as well as other missions such as ‘out of area’ deployments in support of Frontex.

“Our partnership with JetSupport on this vital project solidifies our presence in the European intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance market and deepens our relationship with the Netherlands," explains Jake Trainor, CEO of the PAL Group of Companies. “We are excited to work with JetSupport to foster innovation and refine best practices to our mutual benefit, making us a more competitive partnership to pursue additional future work.”