Area served United States Founded Florida | Date founded 2012 Headquarters Lakeland Type Privately held company | |
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Key people Jared Isaacman, Chief Executive OfficerSean Gustafson, Vice President of Client RelationsJerry Kerby, Vice President of OperationsDale Snodgrass, Chief Pilot / Deployed OperationsJohn Baum, Vice President of Training, Tactics and Security Services Contract air services to the armed forces, including airborne adversary support, flight training, threat simulation, electronic warfare support, aerial refueling, research and testing Website | ||
Draken international a4 skyhawks taxiing out in san diego
Draken International, Inc. is a provider of tactical fighter aircraft for contract air services including military and contract customers. It is based at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, Florida. Draken offers airborne adversary support, flight training, threat simulation, electronic warfare support, aerial refueling, research, and testing services to the military and aerospace firms. Their capabilities include air-to-air and air-to-ground tactical training/support, air-to-air refueling and fleet missile defense.
Contents
Draken maintains a fleet of 80+ aircraft, used by the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. defense contractors for training or systems evaluation. This fleet consists of 30 MiG-21bis fighters, as well as Douglas A-4K Skyhawk attack jets and Aero L-39 Albatros, Aermacchi MB-339 tactical jet trainer aircraft and new Aero Vodochody L-159E Advanced Light Combat Aircraft (ALCA). Draken is known to be the only commercial air service provider operating fighter jets equipped with 4th generation technology to include fire-control radars, CATM training missiles, radar warning receivers, datalinks and other special sensors and electronic attack equipment.
In recent news, the company announced a $6.7 million expansion of its headquarters and repair infrastructure at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport.
The company CEO is Jared Isaacman.
Fleet
With about 78 jets, the company operates the largest fleet of privately owned former military tactical jet aircraft in the world. The company's fleet includes:
Aircrew
The company's pilots are a combination of US Air Force, US Navy and US Marine Corps tactical jet pilots who are retired from those services or who continue to serve part-time in the reserve components of those services, including the Air National Guard. Their backgrounds include USAF Weapons School Graduates and Instructors, USN Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) Graduates and Instructors, USAF Aggressor Pilots, USN/USMC Adversary Pilots, USAF Air Liaison Officers, former USAF Thunderbirds demonstration pilots and USAF/USN/USMC Forward Air Controller - Airborne (FAC-A) Instructors, with some of the more senior pilots having previously served as commanders (USAF) and commanding officers (USN/USMC) of operational squadrons, groups and wings while on active duty.
Board of Advisors
The company's Board of Advisors consists of retired USAF and USMC general officers and USN flag officers who are USAF Command Pilots and USN/USMC Naval Aviators.