Aircraft
Upgraded F-5 Flies with Garmin G3000
Tactical Air Support is modifying its recently acquired ex-Jordanian adversary F-5E/Fs with new equipment, including a Garmin G3000 flight deck.
A Tactical Air Support F-5AT undertakes a recent test flight from the company's main base at Reno-Stead. (Photo: Tactical Air Support)
A Tactical Air Support F-5AT undertakes a recent test flight from the company's main base at Reno-Stead. (Photo: Tactical Air Support)

A Northrop F-5E Tiger II has recently made its first flight after being upgraded with the Garmin G3000 integrated flight deck, complete with dual Garmin touchscreen controllers (GTCs), Garmin International revealed. The aircraft is one of the fleet operated by Tactical Air Support, which undertook the modernization work. The G3000 has been employed in the Textron Scorpion and Diamond DART-550, but the F-5 is the first supersonic fighter application.

“The maiden flight of the G3000-equipped F-5 is a significant achievement as it is a testament to the rapid implementation time and flexibility afforded by a Garmin integrated flight deck,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin vice president of aviation sales and marketing. “In just under six months, Tactical Air was able to complete the engineering design, installation, and achieve first flight.”