Pakistan Navy ATR72MPA to fly in October
28th June 2017
Aerodata held a briefing at Paris, at which I think I was the only journalist. The German company has been working on special mission aircraft systems since the mid-80s. However, its latest project, the upgrade of an ATR72 to a maritime patrol aircraft was undoubtedly the biggest to date. So it was no surprise that the company’s President and CEO, Hans J Stahl was keen to discuss it. He was keen not to disclose the customer, although we all know it is for the Pakistan Navy.
Stahl told me” “We have done work with King Airs [Malta Air Force] and Do 328s in the past. But the installation job on this ATR 72 is much more complex. We signed the contract in summer 2015 but didn’t start until early 2016 as approvals were needed from several governments, which take a while. We are integrating Leonardo’s Seaspray for the first time. Although we have done Telephonics and Elta systems in the past.”
The Elta EL/M2022 system – a combined radar/weather and search radar went into the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Do328s of which one was in static. The five aircraft were also equipped with the Star Safire III and delivered to Aero Rescue between April 2006-February 2007.
One of AeroRescue’s Do328s operated on behalf of the Australia’s Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) Do328s appeared at Paris, the aircraft was fitted out by Aerodata AG in the mid-2000s. It is one of five operated by the company based in Darwin. Alan Warnes
The company is known to have beaten off three other rivals in the last leg of the Pakistan Navy bid, they are thought to have included PAL Aerospace, Thales and Leonardo. “Aerodata has been working on the ATR 72MPA for just over a year now, and first flight is expected in October” Stahl added. “It has maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and also search and rescue capabilities.”
While Aerodata is based in Braunschweig, the work to integrate the systems and modifications to the airframe is being carried out by Rheinland Air Services in Monchengladbach. The company, well versed with the ATR 72 is working alongside Marshall Aerospace from Cambridge, UK. Aerodata is responsible for the design, the kits and integration.
There are two aircraft contracted and optional for the first two with the first due for delivery in early 2018 and the second in early 2019.
“It will have a fully missionised system with torpedos and water bombs, it has a typical sensor suite including a Seaspray 7300E radar for long range detection, localisation and classification. A Star Safire III EO/IR system will provide the short range classification and imaging. We also included some ESM systems [supplied by the customer from Electronica] and long and short range detection of threats, classification and localisation. Along that comes self-protection against infra-red radar or laser threats; there are ELINT components as well. It will be certified as per Pakistan’s standards.”
The Pakistan Navy is known to have initially acquired two ATR72s in the second hand market from Spain (delivered in March 2013) and Grand Canaries (in July 2013). They both serve 27 Sqn at Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Mehran outside of Karachi. The conversion of these aircraft from transport/cargo aircraft has taken its while because the pilots were initially training and then several contract tenders did not go as well as expected. A third aircraft was delivered in August 2016 and with options on a further two it would appear the Navy intends to acquire a fourth ATR72 in the near future. Alan Warnes
Pakistan Navy ATR72MPA to fly in October | warnesysworld.com
Marshall and Aerodata to provide MSA to undisclosed navy
- 13 APRIL, 2016
- SOURCE: FLIGHTGLOBAL.COM
- BY: BETH STEVENSON
- LONDON
Marshall Aerospace and Defence has been contracted by special mission system provider Aerodata to convert two ATR 72-500s into maritime surveillance aircraft (MSA) for an undisclosed navy.
Marshall will design, manufacture and certify the special mission equipment on board the aircraft, which are expected to enter service with the customer in 2018 and 2019.
A radar, camera, self-protection equipment and stores pylons will be installed on the twin-engined turboprops at Marshall’s Cambridge, UK site and a team of engineers will travel to Aerodata’s location in Braunschweig, Germany throughout the installation.
Marshall adds there could be a later requirement to convert two more ATR 72s into the MSA configuration for the same customer.
Flightglobal’s Fleets Analyzer database shows the Pakistan navy as having two ATR 72s in storage. These are undergoing conversion to maritime surveillance aircraft, having previously been operated by Air Botswana and Binter Canarias. The Turkish navy has also operated an ATR 72-600 in the MSA role before converting it into a utility configuration in 2013, Fleets Analyzer shows.
Turkish navy ATR 72 in its previous special mission role
Alenia Aermacchi
“During our 90-plus year aerospace history we have worked on more than 30 different platforms, including the Airbus A318, Boeing P-8, [Lockheed Martin] C-130 [and] Tristar and [Vickers] VC10, making us an extremely experienced special mission partner,” Steve Fitz-Gerald, chief executive of Marshall Aerospace and Defence, says.
“We are pleased to be supporting Aerodata in delivering the mission capability requirements of its customer.”
Aerodata provides special mission systems for surveillance consisting of radar, forward-looking infrared, electro-optics and direction finders.
Marshall provides engineering services including aircraft conversion and also specialises in Beechcraft King Air twin-turboprops.
Marshall and Aerodata to provide MSA to undisclosed navy | flightglobal.com