Textron Aviation has delivered the first two Cessna Citation Latitute aircraft configured for flight inspection missions. The aircraft were delivered to Kanematsu Corporation and will be owned and operated by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to ensure the integrity of instrument approaches and airway procedures that constitute the national airspace of Japan. A third aircraft is anticipated to deliver in early 2021.
Fitted with UNIFIS 3000 Flight Inspection System equipment from Norwegian Special Mission (NSM), the aircraft will provide flight inspection missions through the periodic evaluation of navigational aids, such as flight procedures and electronic signals, to ensure they are safe and accurate. The aircraft will be operated by the Flight Checker Squadron, a JASDF unit based at Iruma Air Base in Saitama Prefecture north of Tokyo.