Maritime surveillance news from Jamaica
The Jamaican Defence Force (JDF) have recently upped their maritime surveillance capabilities by establishing the JDF Maritime Air and Cyber Command, adding a Beechcraft King Air 350 WR maritime patrol aircraft and two Bell 429 helicopters to their fleet. The aircraft will be used in search and rescue operations, for security including intercepting and preventing the importing of illegal guns and drugs and spotting illegal fishing.
The new aircraft will also increase the nation’s ability to cooperate and share information with other countries in the Caribbean. The Beechcraft King Air aircraft is reported have cost $16.9 million and is equipped with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) equipment. It has not been disclosed exactly what ISR equipment has been fitted to the aircraft.
Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, has said that the purchase of the aircraft is; “one of the single largest investments that any government of Jamaica has made in the area of security”.