Textron’s Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) has secured an initial task order to deliver chase flight support services for F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to the US Defense Contract Management Agency.
This task order falls under the broader Combat Air Forces Contracted Air Services indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract framework.
The newly issued task order outlines a service period that could extend up to 27 months, which covers both the base period and optional extensions.
The total value of the contract could reach approximately $7.82m over its duration.
ATAC's role will involve supplying contractor-owned and contractor-operated aircraft to support the Department of the Air Force’s foreign military sales team, specifically for F-16 Production Test Support activities.
These operations will see ATAC's aircraft assuming the chase position during initial and product assurance flights of F-16s from Donaldson Field in Greenville, South Carolina.
Flight operations are expected to begin in August 2025 and are projected to continue for around two years.
ATAC said it has established itself as a defence partner through services such as Adversary Air and Close Air Support. It is broadening its portfolio with this contract, marking its second engagement focused on research, development, test, and evaluation services.
ATAC senior vice president Scott Stacy said: “ATAC is an industry-leader in chase flight services and adversary air training services. We have pioneered much of what are now contracted air services industry standards with a fleet of over 100 aircraft, over 105,000 flight hours, and 30 years of operating experience.
“ATAC now provides chase and target flight services for the F-16s in Greenville, as well as the F-35 aircraft that fly from the Joint Reserve Base in Ft Worth, Texas. We are proud to work with PMA-226, DCMA, and the Air Force and Navy in support of these critical programmes. We know that these new aircraft will give pilots a decisive advantage when it counts, across the globe.”
The US Air Force recently awarded Red 6 a contract to integrate its Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) into the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
