U.S. Marines Expand Rapid Theater Airlift With New UC-12W+ Aircraft

The U.S. Navy awarded Textron Aviation an $18,557,557 firm-fixed-price contract to procure one UC-12W+ aircraft and associated spare parts for U.S. Marine Corps requirements. The aircraft supports rapid theater movement of personnel and priority cargo using a smaller twin-engine turboprop suited to dispersed operations and smaller airfields. Work will be performed primarily in Wichita, Kansas, with additional work in Chihuahua, Mexico, and is expected to be completed in December 2029. The contract was not competitively procured and is an additional aircraft acquisition rather than a wholesale replacement of the Marine Corps utility-airlift fleet.