A Closer Look at The Beechcraft King Air 350 ISR Aircraft
The Beechcraft King Air line of aircraft is the most popular turboprop airplane ever produced, the most popular twin-engine turboprop ever produced, and it is powered by the most popular turboprop engine ever produced. The King Air has been around for about six decades now, so Beechcraft has learned a thing or two about their target demographic. But the funny thing is, when you produce something so good, that target market keeps expanding and changing.
One mission that has absolutely exploded is the ISR profile for King Airs. Now, ISR work is nothing new for the King Air. In fact, the U.S. Army has used the King Air 200/C-12 platform for ISR work for about five decades now as the RC-12 Guardrail. The King Air 350 ISR aircraft platform offers even more capability to operators, whether they be military or civilian. Let’s take a look at how.
King Air 350 ISR Aircraft Specifications
We’ll start by taking a good look at the King Air 350, as it is used for special missions. The King Air 200 series has held the torch for a long time but lacks some of the core capabilities to take ISR missions well into the 21st century. As the U.S. Air Force has illustrated, the MC-12W (based on the King Air 350ER) is an optimal platform for ISR work. It has a much higher payload than the C-12/King Air 200 and a substantially farther range, while the overall footprint for the aircraft is roughly the same. Most facilities that work for the C-12 will still work for the King Air 350, as it is only about three feet wider and three feet longer.
Physical Dimensions
The King Air 350 ISR aircraft is a medium-sized twin-turboprop, only slightly larger than the King Air 200 series aircraft that have been the mainstay of business aviation for decades.
Here is a sample of the core physical characteristics of the King Air 350:
- Length: 46’ 8” feet
- Wingspan: 57’ 11”feet
- Height: 14’ 4” feet
- Empty weight: 12,500 pounds
- Max takeoff weight: 16,500 pounds
- Powerplant: Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A turboprop engines
- Maximum speed: 312 knots
- Range: approximately 2,400 nautical miles
- Ceiling: 35,000 feet
These figures are not universal and differ slightly from model to model.
Powerplants
The Beechcraft King Air series has used Pratt & Whitney’s excellent PT6A as the base engine for decades, with the King Air 350 ISR aircraft opting for the PT6A-60A, with each rated at 1,050shp. Each engine turns a high-efficiency 4-blade propeller.
While the design is quite old, it is still the industry leader and does not appear likely to be dethroned anytime soon.
Performance
The King Air 350 is an ideal platform for ISR work. The standard version has a useful load of 5,145 lbs, while the King Air 350ER adds 2,000 lbs to that useful load. While it does not have the cruise speed of a comparable jet, it is still no slouch.
The King Air 350 cruises just over 300 knots, depending on loadout and conditions. The ferry range for a standard King Air 350 is about 1,800 nautical miles, while the King Air 350ER stretches that out to nearly 2,700 nautical miles. Now, this is not indicative of what the range will be for missions, but a cruise speed in excess of 300 knots allows the King Air 350 to get on location to most places quickly, especially if it is not flying to an AOR overseas, a 1,800nm range allows them to stay on location for a while.
Origin and Development
You have probably noticed that the King Air 350 looks fairly similar to the King Air 200 series, and you would be correct.
The Beechcraft King Air 350 is a twin-turboprop aircraft that was first introduced in 1990. It is a development of the King Air 200 and features a longer fuselage (roughly three feet), larger wings (also about three feet wider), and more powerful engines (an increase of 200 shp per side). The King Air 350 is used for a variety of purposes, including business aviation, air taxi, and military missions. However, it is really coming into its own in the special missions category, where it shines. Beechcraft built the King Air 350 with purpose in mind, and it can be equipped with a belly pod for ISR equipment.
The King Air 350 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A turboprop engines, each of which produces 1,050 horsepower. The aircraft has a maximum speed of 312 knots and a range of 1,800-2,600 nautical miles, depending on its configuration.
The King Air 350 is equipped with a variety of avionics, including a glass cockpit, weather radar, and satellite communications. The aircraft is also equipped with various sensors, including electro-optical and infrared sensors, and can be used for various ISR missions.
L3-Harris is one of the most prolific modifiers of King Air aircraft into dedicated ISR platforms, taking the proven platform and creating a formidable ISR asset.
Avionics
The King Air 350 family's avionics suite is thoroughly glass and modern. The NextGen-ready Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion avionics are the backbone of the avionics package, offering pilots a touch-screen option that eases the burden on pilots.
According to Beechcraft, the standard avionics package includes the following:
- IS&S ThrustSense Autothrottle
- Digital Pressurization Indication
- Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion Avionics Suite
- Three 14-inch touchscreen displays
- Synthetic Vision
- Graphical Flight Planning
- Integrated Charts and Maps
- Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS)
- Dual Flight Management System (FMS)
- Multi-Scan Weather Radar System (WXR)
- Integrated Terrain Awareness and Warning System (ITAWS)
- Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance (TCAS II)
- Automatic Flight Guidance System (AFGS)
- Dual Navigation and Communication Radios
Key Features of the King Air 350
So, what makes the King Air 350 so perfect for ISR operations?
Why couldn’t one of the many excellent jets do the same thing?
A few jets do the ISR job quite well, including the Leidos ARTEMIS II, which uses a commercially procured Challenger 650.
But while the Challenger 650 is a phenomenal aircraft with great range, time on station, and excellent speed, there are some things it cannot do well.
Jets operate best on smooth surfaces and well-maintained pavements. But sometimes, this sharply restricts where an ISR aircraft can be stationed, both stateside or in the AOR. What if the closest adequate airfield is several hundred miles away?
The King Air 350 is built with a rugged landing gear and can operate out of much more austere environments than a jet.
The King Air is also much better in fuel consumption than a jet, and maintenance is less expensive. It is a miserly alternative to a jet in many ways.
ISR Capabilities
There is no one-size-fits-all ISR approach; every mission has different electronic demands. But the King Air 350 is an excellent basic ISR work platform. The King Air 350 has the added benefit of being quickly modifiable back to a VIP transport mission or even light cargo.
Every day, electronics are becoming smaller and requiring less amperage to operate, so the sensor suites in 2012 are far different from those in 2024. Every advance in technology allows the King Air 350 to be an even more capable ISR platform.
Mission Profiles
It is very attractive to have a full ISR suite that is “roll-on, roll-off” capable. The aircraft can be rapidly stripped of its ISR mission and configured for another mission. The King Air 350 is extremely attractive for this reason: it really ends up being an aircraft that can quickly and easily be modified for three, four, or maybe even five mission profiles instead of just one.
The King Air has proven itself as one of the best aerial ambulances in the world and is adept at light cargo in and out of minimally-equipped airports.
Key Operators
There are so many operators of the King Air globally that it is hard to really iron out who is using them for what.
- The U.S. Air Force uses the King Air 350 designated at the MC-12W Liberty. They had substantially more than the 13 in the current inventory, but as demand waned, many were handed off to other agencies, including the FAA and CBP.
- The Pakistani government owns a small fleet of King Air 350 ISR aircraft, as does the Kuwaiti government.
Relevant Variants
As we’ve said, a few variants of the King Air have been used with great success as aerial ISR platforms.
Super King Air 200
The Super King Air 200 has had one of the longest runs as an ISR platform, with the RC-12 operating continuously since 1974. However, since the operating and procurement costs are so similar, the King Air 350 makes more sense considering its substantial increases in capability.
King Air 350 ER (Extended Range)
The King Air 350ER is an ideal ISR aircraft for all-around versatility. With good range, good cruise, low maintenance and operational costs, and ease of parts procurement, the King Air 350ER is a natural.
King Air 360 and 360ER
There is no reason to think that the latest versions of the venerable King Air won’t be adapted as ISR platforms and perform perfectly. The King Air 360 and 360ER are dimensionally compatible with the 350 series, so the ISR components should be a shoo-in for the 360 series. In fact, the main upgrades are improvements in the avionics suite, autothrottle, and environmental components, which will only serve to make the King Air 360 and 360ER even better ISR assets.
Final Thoughts
The King Air 350 is a versatile aircraft that can be used for a variety of missions, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). It is a cost-effective option that can operate out of austere environments. The King Air 350 has been used by a variety of operators, including the U.S. Air Force, the Pakistani government, the Kuwaiti government, and many federal and state operators. In fact, it is said that the King Air is in use by 48 of 50 states at the state level for various missions.
While they have proven incredibly durable and reliable, all airplanes go down for maintenance and eventually break. Greenwood Aerospace is your trusted advisor in procuring replacement parts. Also, we can create parts kits, even warehouse your parts, and issue them upon request. Give us a call today, or start an online quote!
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