The Royal Jordanian Air Force Receives Its First Five Bell 505 Ranger X Helicopters
Bell Textron, based in the United States, has delivered the first five Bell 505 Ranger X helicopters to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF). The delivery in question was carried out in accordance with a contract signed between the Royal Jordanian Air Force and the Bell Textron company in November last year at the 13th Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference in Aqaba, Jordan. The contract, the value of which has not been disclosed to the public, includes ten Bell 505 Ranger X helicopters, a flight training device, and a comprehensive computer-based training package to support basic and advanced rotorcraft flight training at the King Hussein Air College in Mafraq, Jordan.
The Robinson R44 II fleet that is currently used for training at the King Hussein Air College at Mafraq Air Base in Jordan will be replaced by these new helicopters. Jordan will receive the remaining five Bell 505 helicopters by the end of 2024.
“Bell is thrilled to complete the first Bell 505 deliveries to the Royal Jordanian Air Force and looks forward to equipping its cadets with a full fleet of technologically advanced, dynamic aircraft that will enhance the Armed Forces’ operational readiness,” said Patrick Moulay, Bell’s senior vice president of International Commercial Sales.
Furthermore, Royal Jordanian Air Force Commander Brigadier General Mohammad F. Hiyasat stated, “We are pleased to receive the first Bell 505 aircraft of our new fleet and look forward to providing our pilots with one of the best possible training platforms. These deliveries mark the expansion of our operations in the country and the growth of the capabilities of the Royal Jordanian Air Force,”
The Bell 505, which is operated by the UAE, Bahrain, and the Royal Jordanian Air Force in the Middle East region, is an American/Canadian light helicopter developed and produced by Bell Helicopter. The standard avionics package for the helicopter includes a fully integrated Garmin G1000H flight deck with twin 10.4-inch LCD displays to reduce the pilot’s workload, motion chart display, traffic information system, airport diagrams, flight planning, power status display, and engine instruments.
The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X is powered by a Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine and a dual-channel FADEC system that generates 504 shaft horsepower at takeoff and speeds in over of 120 knots. The helicopter has a useful load capacity of 680 kilograms and a range of 566 kilometers (306nm), and it is capable of carrying a pilot and four passengers. The helicopter is capable of flying for more than 3.9 hours and reach a maximum altitude of 20,000 feet (6.096 meters).