Exactly, with the market bigger than a SAAB and not big enough for a B738.

I've also read that they picked up NJE freight ops as well which would include the B146's.

Well it is National Jet Express trading as Cobham.... so it may as well be NJE trading as REX.

The deal is for all the E190's, Q400's, and 146F's for 40 Million.

The deal does not include the 146’s, just the fifo assets

National Jet Express is reducing their Bae146 fleet by:

VH-NJQ being scrapped
VH-NJY withdrawn & up for sale
VH-NJP withdrawn & up for sale

These predate the above announcement

The deal includes FIFO and Cargo ops. This ops as National Jet Express AOC. The deal does not include the Dash 8 Customs operations.

Simple Flying article today.Part only.

Rex executive chairman Lim Kim Hai told Flightglobal that he expects the takeover to be wrapped up by September, and the [FIFO] unit will keep its branding and not fly under the Rex brand. He added it will be "run independently in as far as the customer-facing part is concerned." The Q400s and E190s are ideally suited to the demands of FIFO operations, which often require services to remote airstrips with various types of runway surfaces. Lim said NJE's fleet of Dash 8s and E190s are "the best, most modern aircraft that fly-in, fly-out customers would need."

Australia’s largest independent regional carrier Regional Express (Rex) has completed its acquisition of Cobham Aviation Services’ fly-in fly-out (FIFO) business and flagged its intention to capture market share from Qantas Airways’ Alliance Airlines and Network Aviation which mostly serve the mining sector using Fokker 70/100s.

Rex says in a statement to the Australian stock exchange today it has completed the acquisition of National Jet Express (NJE), Cobham Aviation Services’ fly-in fly-out (FIFO) business, and plans to grow and transform the business by expanding its operations into Queensland and the Northern Territory, two areas of Australia where Rex and NJE has little presence. NJE’s operations are concentrated in South Australia and Western Australia while Rex’s operations are concentrated in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.

Rex has, until now, failed to develop a strong presence in Queensland and the Northern Territory because these are big geographic areas. Rex’s fleet comprises of Saab 340s that lack the range to serve the longer routes in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

But NJE operates De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Dash 8-400s and Embraer 190s, aircraft types that have more range.

Rex executive chairman, Lim Kim Hai, says in today’s statement: “In anticipation of the surge in demand for NJE’s services, we are looking to lease immediately another two Dash 8-400 aircraft to add to its fleet.”

“We will continue to invest in new aircraft and technology to grow the business, especially in Queensland where resource companies have been facing severe issues with capacity and reliability in recent years,” he says.

Lim says Rex plans to use NJE to transform Australia’s mining charter sector.

“Resource companies all over Australia can now count on a modern, comfortable and environmentally-friendly fleet for their FIFO needs instead of relying on 30-year-old Fokker 100 aircraft used predominantly by the other operators,” says Lim, referring to Alliance and Network Aviation which primarily serve mining companies using Fokkers.

Rex announced in mid-July it had signed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire 100% of NJE for A$48 million (US$31 million) from international private equity firm Advent International, subject to adjustments for working capital and other matters.

The NJE business had revenue of A$142 million in 2021’s calendar year, Rex said.

It said it would fund 50% of the acquisition and its joint venture partners the remainder, giving both parties a 50% stake. One of the joint venture partners is Rex’s Lim who would be using private funds, it added.

NJE at the time had a fleet of eight Dash 8-400s and six Embraer E-190 aircraft.

They are now advertising for Captains,First officers and cabin crew BNE based.
They have said these 2 x Q400 's coming will have a new NJE brand.

I also read somewhere they are sourcing another 2 E190's.I cannot find this article so not confirmed.

LLoyd, I too have read that they are trying to get another 2 E190's

Thanks Brenden for that..Cheers.:)