GDF gets EUR2.9M aircraft to enhance military operations, humanitarian assistance

…as Guyana builds aerospace capacity

As part of Guyana’s defence transformation, the Air Corps of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) continues to be bolstered with the acquisition of another aircraft that will strengthen military operations and humanitarian support to remote hinterland areas across the country.

The Technam P2012 aircraft was commissioned on Thursday afternoon at the GDF Air Corps Hangar located at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, Ogle, on the East Coast of Demerara. The newly built twin-engine multi-role aircraft was acquired from the Italian manufacturer to the tune of 2.9 million euros.
At the commissioning ceremony, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Irfaan Ali, stated that the acquisition of this ‘sleek aviation asset’ is part of ongoing efforts to modernise the local Defence Force.
In this shift from ‘patching-up to powering-up’, the Head of State pointed out that government is going beyond just equipping the army to investing in the GDF’s aerospace capability.
“The aerospace investment goes beyond the assets that we have out here. It’s about leveraging fully our airspace and all available technology for the defence and modernisation of the sovereignty and security of our country,” he stated.
Underscoring the importance of building Guyana’s aerospace defence, President Ali pointed out that his government is thinking ahead of time when it comes to aerospace security.

“We already have ongoing negotiations and discussions surrounding satellite technology and other key and important air assets and defence systems that are critical to the safety and security of our country and to ensuring that our sovereignty remains intact,” he added.
According to the Commander in Chief, this investment in the new aircraft is reflective of the government’s continued commitment to the recapitalisation of the GDF and the strengthening of its Air Corps. The Technam aircraft, he added, is not just a tool but a weapon of readiness, a bridge to the hinterland, and a lifeline in times of distress.
“We are building an Air Corps that is not only agile but versatile. One that can conduct surveillance at dawn and deliver supplies by dusk. One that can monitor our territory with pinpoint precision and deliver mercy missions with unwavering speed… This Technam aircraft is going to help us land on the short strips in the deep hinterland. It is not an attack aircraft, but it will take us where the GDF must go – whether it’s to resupply a remote outpost, to assist in a medevac, or to respond in a moment of national emergency.”
“When we chose this type of aircraft, it was not because it looked pretty; we chose it because it could perform, because it could get in and out of those tight hinterland strips, and because it could be a true multi-role platform for military operations and humanitarian assistance. The Technam is a formidable addition to our fleet,” President Ali stated.
Over the last five years, the GDF has seen its budgetary allocations more than tripling, moving from $13.9 billion in 2019 to $50.4 billion this year. The Air Corps has received $9 billion during this time.
This has not only seen the acquisition of helicopters, a Beechcraft, a HAL 228 aircraft, and now a Technam aircraft but also investments in the Air Corps infrastructure, including the new state-of-the-art at Ogle, with plans underway for a second hangar at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in Timehri.

According to Chief of Defence Staff of the GDF, Brigadier Omar Khan, the acquisition of this Technam aircraft – the sixth aircraft in the last five years – consolidates the unprecedented transformation of the army’s Air Corps, with more similar assets to be acquired in the coming months.
He noted that the Technam aircraft was acquired to complement and support air operations such as rapid deployment to remote areas and the conduct of surveillance, humanitarian, and search and rescue operations.
Brigadier Khan explained that this Air Corps transformation is led by the strategic guidance of the Commander in Chief to build, deploy and operate a modern, smart and resilient force to not only support national defence but also national development.
“Clear in this strategic guidance is our resolve to enhance our awareness, improve our adaptability and increase our agility across all domains – air, land and sea, and cyber. And to protect our people and to protect our resources, to maintain peace, promote harmonious relations, and support regional integration through strategic defence partnership,” the Chief of Defence Staff said at Thursday’s commissioning ceremony.
President Ali and Brigadier Khan were joined by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, and Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, along with heads of other security agencies in the country for the commissioning of the Technam aircraft.