For the Royal Netherlands Navy, Provincial Aerospace operates two deHavilland Dash 8 aircraft, which replaced an  Orion P3  multi-mission aircraft and an interim Fokker 50 in 2007.

The stringent requirements included the design, modification, integration, operation and maintenance of two multi-purpose aircraft. Provincial Aerospace designed and installed a drop hatch capability in the Dash 8 aircraft, implemented specifically for search and rescue missions.

Having transformed the two Dash 8 aircraft , Provincial Aerospace now conducts maritime surveillance over the coastal waters of Aruba, Bonair and Curacao in the Southern Caribbean. Responsibilities include general law enforcement,  intelligence gathering, focusing on fisheries, pollution and narcotics violations, and search and rescue.

A big part of our operation is search and rescue and disaster relief– a new task made possible by the introduction of the drop hatch.  Designed and installed by Provincial Aerospace, search and rescue operations can now supplement  search and assist.