20 of the 40 A-19B Borehole attack aircraft transferred from the HCSAF to the HCSN last year have now been declared operational by the Clone Navy. The A-19Bs were due to be withdrawn as a cost saving by the air force though had around 10 years service life left, the Navy stepped in to ask for the type to fill a gap in it's long range anti-shipping and attack role until the arrival of the F-45K and carrier operations in the next decade.
The 20 aircraft received a light refurbishment (more or less a deep clean sources say) and a couple of avionics modifications to better suit over water operations. The fleet will receive a more extensive refurbishment and upgrade starting from next year. This will include better integration into the HCSN data network and the capability to fire the latest HCSN munitions. The aircraft will also be cleared to operate until around 2121.
