In January 1996, the US Army awarded Cessna a $157 million contract for 35 UC-35 aircraft to supplement their aging Beech C-12s for passenger and light cargo transportation. The Army deployed these commercial off-the-shelf Citation 560 Ultra V aircraft to bases in the US, Germany, and South Korea. In 2000 and 2001, the Army also bought four larger, higher performance Citation Ultra Encores (designated the UC-35B). UC-35 pilot training became the responsibility of the Army National Guard unit at Bridgeport, West Virginia, which qualifies experienced Army fixed wing pilots in the UC-35 after four weeks of classroom, simulator, and inflight training.
Beginning in November 1999, the US Marine Corps also purchased two Citation Ultras (UC-35C) and 11 Encores (UC-35D) as operational support aircraft to replace their CT-39 Sabreliners. The Marine Corps accepted the last UC-35D on March 21, 2006, with Captain Mark Stone, program manager, noting that they “have the distinction of being Naval Aviation’s least expensive aircraft operate.”
USMC UC-35D (Cessna photo)
Marine Corps UC-35s are based in the US, Japan, and Qatar. The Qatar unit (VMR-1) flies sorties in support of the ongoing “War on Terror” throughout the Middle East, often flying personnel and equipment into Afghanistan and Djibouti for quick reaction missions in these hot combat areas. Major John Gale, VMR-1 Operations Officer, says, “What makes us unique is that we have more flexibility to respond and adapt to get people in and out of theater. . .we get request from all the services to assist them with their needs.”
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