Aery Aviation has acquired 12 Learjet special-mission aircraft (SMA) that will bring its special-missions fleet to 26 and added millions of dollars of support equipment and spares. The additional Learjets will allow the Newport News, Virginia-based company to expand, providing SMA services to the Department of Defense, foreign governments, and commercial customers.

One of the programs the additional Learjets will support is the U.S. Navy High Endurance Electronic Warfare Jet (HEEWJ) contract, to simulate a variety of airborne threats to train and evaluate shipboard and aircraft squadron weapon systems, operators, and aircrew on how to counter potential enemy electronic warfare and electronic attack operations, according to Aery director of flight operations Larry Hecht. “This support is provided in a variety of venues, from basic schoolhouse Air Intercept Control training to large multinational exercises and small, single-unit training exercises,” he added.

For the contract, Aery is modifying three models of Learjet and Gulfstream IV aircraft that will result in the development of more than a dozen STCs for baseline and configuration changes to wing hardpoints, radomes, and other mission-critical systems. The aircraft will be used to conduct banner/target tow operations and a variety of radar/electronic warfare and stand-off-jamming training and fleet operations.

Aery also is building a new facility in Newport News to support heavy maintenance of its fleet.