FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW, England (Jul. 20, 2026) — Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced the delivery of a factory-new, extended-range Beechcraft King Air 360ER to support the Armed Forces of Malta’s maritime patrol missions in the central Mediterranean, expanding the country’s King Air fleet while strengthening operational capacity and maintaining fleet commonality.
The Beechcraft King Air 360ER is exceptionally well suited for maritime patrol missions, offering the range, endurance and reliability required to operate across the central Mediterranean,Bob Gibbs, vice president, Special Missions Sales
“The Beechcraft King Air 360ER is exceptionally well suited for maritime patrol missions, offering the range, endurance and reliability required to operate across the central Mediterranean,” said Bob Gibbs, vice president, Special Missions Sales. “We are proud to continue our long-standing relationship with the Armed Forces of Malta and to support their mission with another proven King Air platform.”
Delivered to Aerodata AG in Braunschweig, Germany, the aircraft will be configured by Aerodata for maritime patrol missions including border control, maritime surveillance, law enforcement and search and rescue, prior to delivery to the Armed Forces of Malta in 2027.
The acquisition builds on Textron Aviation’s long-standing support of the Armed Forces of Malta, which has operated Beechcraft King Air maritime patrol aircraft for more than a decade.
The Beechcraft King Air remains the world’s best‑selling business turboprop family, supporting commercial operators, special mission organizations and several branches of the U.S. military. Since 1964, customers have taken delivery of more than 7,900 King Air turboprops, logging over 66 million flight hours worldwide.
The Beechcraft King Air 360ER turboprop is the extended‑range variant of the King Air 360, offering increased fuel capacity, higher useful load and longer range to support long‑distance and mission‑driven operations. Powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A‑60A engines and equipped with Pro Line Fusion avionics, the King Air 360ER builds on the versatility and reliability of the King Air family.
When government, military and commercial customers need airborne solutions for critical missions, they turn to Textron Aviation, home to the iconic Beechcraft and Cessna brands. Textron Aviation offers the industry’s broadest range of special mission aircraft with customizable configurations using proven technology and advanced engineering. The Textron Aviation family of aircraft includes single- and multi-engine piston aircraft, turboprops and Citation jets. These aircraft support missions such as air ambulance, amphibious operations, flight inspection, aerial surveillance, training and utility transport, all backed by an extensive global service network. For more information visit www.specialmissions.txtav.com.
We have been inspiring the journey of flight for nearly 100 years. Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. company, has empowered our collective talent across the Beechcraft, Cessna, Hawker and Pipistrel brands to design and deliver the best aviation experience for our customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops, light and high-performance pistons, to special mission, military trainer and defense aircraft, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on our legendary performance, reliability and versatility, along with our trusted global customer service network, for affordable, productive and flexible flight. For more information, visit www.txtav.com.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.
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