MOORESVILLE — The plane is a Cessna Caravan 208B EX, and is loaded with the latest technology. Jamie Bishop, IOMAX vice president of engineering, said, “The aircraft is equipped with a variety of state-of-the-art equipment such as the high definition L3 Wescan MX-15 EO/IR sensor and Thales I-master radar. These devices are managed and controlled via the CatreNav AIMS-ISR software suite. The IOMAX designed mission operator console is installed in the back of the aircraft and serves as the mission operators’ interface to the mission equipment.

The principal purpose for the crew of five, three in the back and two in the front, aboard the plane is intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). IOMAX is delivering four of these aircraft to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF). It is expected the aircraft will be put in service as soon as they arrive in Jordan. The first aircraft is scheduled to leave the IOMAX facility April 8. The remaining three aircraft will be delivered later this year. Primary missions are counterterrorism and counter drug trafficking along the border.

The event was to commemorate the formal handoff of the first Cessna Caravan to various Jordanian Air Force personnel in Mooresville on Tuesday, March 5, at the IOMAX USA headquarters at Lake Norman Airpark. Brigadier General Mohammad Fathi Hiyasat, the Royal Jordanian Air Force’s commander, led a contingent that included pilots, maintenance personnel and other officials from his country for the ceremony. About 30 IOMAX employees joined with various dignitaries and invited guests for events that included a cake cutting and luncheon. IOMAX USA is a global provider of aerospace, surveillance and weapons system design, manufacturing and integration. The company delivers weaponized aircraft and related systems that are specifically designed to meet security challenges.

KC Howard, IOMAX USA chairman and CEO, said, “I want to thank our very special team of dedicated employees at IOMAX in this crucial partnership with Jordan. I also want to thank Sen. Ted Budd for always supporting us and having our back in this effort for peace and stability throughout the Middle East.” Howard also thanked corporate partners attending, including Textron Aviation, which owns Cessna, CarteNAV, the maker of the mission software and L3Harris which supplies electro-optical sensors.

Budd remembered his first meeting with IOMAX in 2016. “I climbed in and out of the planes and ruined my suit. This is our 75^th anniversary of partnership between the United States and Jordan, supported by proven cutting edge ISR solutions.” Budd serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Hiyasat said, “We need these planes. With them, we will make Jordan more stable by making our borders more secure, thanks to IOMAX.”

Howard and Hiyasat together made the first cut in a ceremonial cake, followed by Howard presenting replica scale models of the Cessna Caravan to Hiyasat and Budd.

Howard’s father started the company in 2001 in his Denver, N.C., condo apartment complex. In Mooresville, K.C. Howard has rebuilt and grown the company. Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are other allies who use IOMAX planes and technology.

A previous ceremony on Oct. 21, 2022, commemorated Jordan’s purchase of several Air Tractor planes also carrying the latest border patrol technology and a powerful array of weapons. Bishop said, “The Caravan is a different plane with a different mission. The plane is outfitted to ultimately carry weapons but the first four will not have them when delivered to Jordan. Jordan has outposts along its border, yet most of it is open. The ISR technology will allow the planes to patrol that border with state of the art technology. We continue to enjoy our partnership with Jordan and at present, Jordan is our best customer.”        

Seamus Flately, vice president of business development, said, “As a small company with a rich history of working with the Royal Jordan Air Force since 2014, today’s event speaks to an enduring relationship built on understanding, trust and a dedication to supporting a friend and important ally in the Middle East. We’re proud of the work we do and look forward to helping Jordan now and in the future.”