Delivery of the first aircraft out of the two Challenger 650 business jets to the Finnish Border guard by U.S.-based Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) will be delayed, said Border Guard in a press release on Monday.
Production of the first aircraft unit began at Bombardier’s Montreal facility in late 2024, with delivery to SNC scheduled for late 2025.
According to the latest estimates, the first aircraft will be ready for delivery to Finland in March 2027.
These aircraft will replace the Dornier 228 surveillance planes introduced in 1995.
The revised delivery schedule will not affect or require adjustments to the Finnish Border Guard’s flight operations.
The current Dornier fleet can continue to operate effectively until the new replacements are delivered.
The new aircraft will offer significantly enhanced performance in both platform capabilities and surveillance technology.
SNC will carry out the required modifications, equipment installations, and certifications at its facilities in Hagerstown, Maryland.
The SNC won the competitive bidding process. SNC will integrate an extensive sensor and performance package into the aircraft manufactured by Canadian company Bombardier. The delivery agreement was signed in June 2024 in Helsinki.
Bombardier will deliver a business jet to SNC, which will then be modified to meet the Finnish Border Guard’s requirements. The aircraft’s interior will be stripped and replaced with systems and structures ordered by the Border Guard.
The new aircraft type requires significant new expertise. Pilots and mechanics of the Border Guard Aviation Unit must complete a type course before operating the aircraft. A type course trains users on a new aircraft model they have not previously flown.
Operators will also be trained in the use of surveillance systems. The pilots undergoing type training will receive both theoretical and simulator instruction on the new aircraft. Initially, a core group of pilots and mechanics will be trained to oversee the aircraft’s production monitoring, acceptance, and operational deployment.
Additional operational personnel will be trained closer to the delivery date.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
