Florida-based Amerijet says in a statement it has acquired SRX Transcontinental, a Florida-based company offering ground handling services throughout Central Asia and the owner of Avialeasing.

Avialesing operates charter services throughout the world using a fleet of Antonov An-12 and An-26 freighters based in both Uzbekistan and Miami.

"Amerijet believes this acquisition will complement its cargo operations and support our energy sector customers both in the Americas and worldwide," Amerijet CEO David Bassett says in the statement.

"It will also support our effort towards establishing regional cargo operations throughout Central Asia, a market Amerijet believes is capable of substantial growth throughout the next decade."

Amerijet is a Boeing 727 freighter operator specialising in scheduled air cargo services to Latin America and the Caribbean. The carrier in February announced plans to expand its fleet through the lease of five Boeing 767-200 freighters starting later this year.

According to Flight’s ACAS database, Amerijet now operates eight 727-200s.

Amerijet also operates a large cargo handling and cooling facility at Miami International Airport. It says the acquisition of SRX and Avialeasing will give it unique capabilities to handle heavy and oversized cargo and serve airports that Western-built freighters cannot access.

It says SRX and Avialeasing together offer a mix of charter operations and maintenance services on the An-12 and An-26. Avialeasing is licensed to operate the aircraft in both the US and Uzbekistan. From these two bases it deploys the aircraft globally for a wide mix of customers including the United Nations.