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| ISR Dash-8 Aircraft Replaces Dornier-288 Role in Dutch Coast Guard |
The Hague - The Dutch Coast Guard has received one of two new Dash-8 (DHC-8) aircraft made in De Havilland, Canada on September 10, 2022. The aircraft will replace the currently operational Dornier-288 and will be tasked with maritime patrol missions. .
Prior to entering service in October, the Dash-8 will be pre-tested and its personnel trained. Currently, King Air's Beechkraft aircraft will serve as backup aircraft.
The Dutch Ministry of Defense said the Dash-8 aircraft arrived about six months later than expected. The postponement is related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Dash-8 offers longer flight times. Likewise, surface radar provides a brief overview of transportation, day and night. The aircraft is equipped with a hatch at the bottom of the fuselage, where the crew can launch a rescue raft, smoke marker and data buoy.
The data buoy launched from the plane will float on the sea and report the position of the water and air temperature. This information provides further information regarding the possible location of the drowned person.
The Dutch Coast Guard leased the Dash-8 from ISR Support Europe, a consortium that supplies pilots and maintenance personnel. The Dutch Coast Guard will be responsible for coordinating the deployment of these aircraft from the Schiphol-East base.