XSTOL from the "military-industrial complex" spotted at Mojave Spaceport

Mojave Spaceport isn't exactly a secret facility, but stuff happens there. [I photographed prototype anit-manpads gear on a Fedex jet there years ago before it was known to be used.] I recently spotted this plane with the L-3 logo and grabbed a quick photo to get the tail number.

L-3 ZK-KAK

This plane, like many other civilian planes, has a cargo bay on the belly of the aircraft that comes in handy for stuffing with spook gear (surveillance, etc.) Australian Aviation did an article on the plane before it sported the L-3 logo.

See P-750 XSTOL air test

The military-industrial complex uses these civilian planes to keep a low profile, though generally Cessna Caravans or Pilatus PC-12s have been used. The fact that L-3 has a logo on the plane is odd in that it sort of blows their cover, but who knows.

L-3 in the past has done some shady stuff. One of the rendition aircraft was owned by L-3 capital. N610G is believed to be associated with FEST (Foreign Emergency Support Team).

I found a not too informative news release regarding this plane:
XSTOL on tour

On tour where? Who can view it?

reply to post by gariac

I've seen this kind of plane in Iraq, taxi'ing down the runway at Baghdad International Airport (BIAP). I worked out on the flightline there, it would go rolling by and i noticed the protrusion at the bottom. I would always tell my employee's "you didnt see that plane" they would ask why lol and i would say "im putting money on that being some kind of CIA plane with that thing on the bottom lol" I would say it completely in jest but in hind sight......kind of makes ya shiver a lil bit. S&F

reply to post by gariac

Now that is one very scary LZ.

yep that underbelly cargo bay is a perfect spot
for 1-2 tons of heroin or coc aine. Steal one of
them and you'd be a rich man Course you'd
have to disengage several tracking devices
first.

reply to post by boondock-saint

Max useful load 1905kg

www.aerospace.co.nz...

wups.

reply to post by Phage


whups what???

1905 kg = 4191 lbs

1 short ton = 2000 lbs ---- 2 short tons = 4000 lbs
1 metric ton = 2200 lbs ----- 2 metric tons = 4400 lbs

doesn't 1-2 tons fit into
that category?

reply to post by boondock-saint


Yeah. It does...thus the "wups". I goofed.
Why can't everyone use pounds?

reply to post by Phage


Coz we're not stuck in the dark ages I guess

So what we're saying is it's good for around 40 doppelzentner?

Jå?

The PAC 750 is not exactly a kind of "spook plane" , its a utilitiarian plane with many different kinds of uses, and I am sure they would love to sell them for that kind of stuff.

They are made by a company in NZ, and a lot of skydiving places use them, and also mineral survey companies. I actually got a flight in one not that long ago.

The L-3 is probably a sticker that PAC put on there for marketing purposes when showing them the plane.

reply to post by firepilot


Your probably missed my post about the plane on tour:
L-3 puts P-750 on tour

The USAF is buying fewer fighter aircraft and going more for special ops. They fly the PC-12 now, and the P-750 would do the job in harder to reach areas.

The Plan Columbia Cessna Caravans had a belly full of electronics. It is a pretty common game these days. I'm sure the P-750 wasn't at Mojave for a wax job. If it was registered in the US, I'd spent the $10 and get the modification records from the FAA.