Late night on 31 March 2024, two C-17A Globemaster IIIs of the Indian Air Force delivered two Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Dornier 228s to Guyana.
The Globemasters, serials CB-8010 and CB-8011, touched down at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Georgetown, each with one Dornier 228 on board. The Dorniers will be assembled in Guyana and will be taken on strength with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Air Corps.
The Dorniers were ordered early last year, in January 2023. The versatile Dornier 228 would mean a welcome addition to the cash strapped GDF Air Corps. The Dornier can be used for maritime patrol and transport duties to protect Guyanese interests, which have significantly increased since the fairly recent discovery of huge oil fields off Guyana’s coast.
Exploration of these gives an unprecedented boost to Guyana’s economy. The GDF is planning to add more equipment for its military, in light of Venezuelan claims of vast areas of Guyana.
HAL holds a licence for production of the Dornier 228 and is responsible for the production of the airframes, including those that were to be marketed by Dornier, later RUAG, and currently by General Atomics Europe. However, these two aircraft were entirely produced and marketed by HAL in a direct sale to Guyana.
