The Indians seem to be looking at the atlantique MPA now that it seems all that the US is offering is the P3B . Seems a good idea since the US is not a reliable partner anyway.
What advantages does one have over the other. Which is the better one 😉
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http://www.naval-technology.com/
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ATL3 ATLANTIQUE MARITIME PATROL AIRCRAFT
The Atlantique ATL3 maritime patrol aircraft, successor to the Atlantique ATL1 and ATL2, incorporates an enhanced weapon system with a maximum 9,000kg payload, new technology engines, glass cockpit and sophisticated avionics and sensors. The ATL1, selected as the NATO Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft, entered service in 1966 and remains in service with the German, Italian and Pakistani navies. The Atlantique ATL2 has been in service with the French Navy since 1989.
The ATL3 airframe will be produced by the Societé Européenne de Construction de l’Avion Breguet Atlantique (SECBAT) consortium, consisting of Dassault Aviation of France, Alenia of Italy, SABCA-SONACA of Belgium and EADS (European Aeronautics Defence and Space) company, formed by DaimlerChrysler Aerospace of Germany, Aerospatiale Matra of France and CASA of Spain.
The primary mission of the Atlantique is anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, but secondary roles include search and rescue, mine laying and detection and long-range maritime surveillance.
COCKPIT
The flight deck is designed for two-pilot operation. Six liquid-crystal displays provide both pilots independently with the flight and systems management data, together with pictures from the electro-optical sensor, data from the weather radar and the tactical display.
TACTICAL CREW STATIONS
The aircraft normally carries eight tactical crew – the tactical co-ordinator (TACCO), the Deputy TACCO, two radar and electronic support measures officers and two acoustic sensor officers.
The tactical crew has identical workstations each with two full-colour, multi-purpose displays. The Deputy TACCO manages the communications, navigation and electro-optical systems. The TACCO receives the inputs from all sensor operations and, using the tactical aids suite, evaluates the situation and determines the actions to be taken.
WEAPONS
The Atlantique ATL3 has four underwing hardpoints with a total capacity of 3,500kg for carrying missiles such as Harpoon, Maverick, HARM, Magic, Sidewinder and MICA. In addition, a large weapon bay with capacity to carry a maximum internal payload of 5,500kg. can carry a wide range of ordnance and equipment to support deployment for out of area operations. Various combinations of payloads can be loaded in the weapons bay with a choice of up to eight NATO torpedoes, two Exocet AM39 air-to-surface missiles, four Harpoon air-to-surface missiles, six mines, either 250kg or 500kg, eight anti-submarine warfare depth charges, twelve search and rescue (SAR) containers, 200 sonobuoys and 70 markers.
SENSORS
The Thomson CSF Iguane multi-mode radar has the sensitivity to detect small periscope-size targets. It can operate in surface search mode and weather avoidance mode simultaneously and carries out track-while-scan. An Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system is integrated into the radar.
The aircraft is equipped with a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor installed in a spherical turret under the nose. The FLIR carries out search, detection, identification and tracking of targets and has a detection range of up to 100 miles. Two camera systems provide vertical and oblique photography. A Sextant Avionique magnetic anomaly detector (MAD), for the detection and location of submarines, is installed in the lengthened tail section of the fuselage.
The aircraft’s two acoustic sensor operators detect, locate and track submarines using the Sadang acoustic data processing system from Thomson-CSF. 64 channels can be processed simultaneously.
COUNTERMEASURES
The electronic support measures system (ESM) is the Thomson-CSF Arar 13A radar detector. The system automatically detects, analyses, identifies and tracks radar signals and provides high probability of single-pulse intercept even in a dense electromagnetic environment. Intercepted radar signals are analyzed by comparison of signal characteristics against an ESM threat library.
NAVIGATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
The navigation system uses a ring laser gyro inertial navigation system with an integrated global positioning system and a radio navigation suite including VHF omnidirectional radio ranging (VOR) with distance measuring equipment (DME). The autopilot equipment allows operational flight down to 100ft.
The communications suite includes V/UHF and satellite communications links with NATO Tactical Data Links 11, 14 and 16.
ENGINES
The Rolls Royce Allison AE2100H engines, equipped with six-blade composite propellers from Messier Dowty produce 10% more power than the current generation ATL engines, but use 15% less fuel.
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P-3C ORION MARITIME PATROL AND ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE
The P-3 Orion land-based maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft is operational in the airforces of ten countries. More than 700 P-3 aircraft have been built by Lockheed Martin. 227 aircraft are in the US Navy fleet, but this is to be reduced to 150 by 2005 and the entire fleet is to be replaced by 2013. It carries the United States Navy designation P-3, the Canadian Forces designations CP-140 Aurora and CP-140A Arcturus and the Spanish Air Force designation P.3.
The P-3A was first operational in the US Navy in 1962. The P-3C first entered service in 1969 and has been continuously upgraded and updated with new avionics systems and mission equipment. In 1975, an improved navigation system, expanded computer memory and tactical displays were provided under the Update I programme. In 1976, the Update II programme provided an infrared detection system and sonobuoy reference system and the aircraft were fitted with the Harpoon missile. The P-3C aircraft to the Upgrade III standard, delivered in 1984, were equipped with advanced anti-submarine warfare avionics including the IBM Proteus AN/UYS-1 acoustic processor.
Update IV programme improvements, mainly directed towards the provision of advanced signal processing capabilities, were implemented during the 1990s to meet the threat of new-generation fast, quiet and deep-diving submarines. The aircraft are equipped with Raytheon AN/APS-137(V) multi-mission surveillance radar.
International upgrade programmes include 18 aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force being upgraded to AP-3C standard. The upgrade includes the installation of an Elta Electronics EL/M-2022(V)3 maritime surveillance radar and a FLIR Systems Star SAFIRE II thermal imager. The first six have been delivered. Ten aircraft are being upgraded for the Royal Netherlands Navy and the first was delivered in November 2003. The upgrade includes new electronic support measures (ESM), radar and acoustic sensors, new data management system and new communications suite. EADS CASA is to upgrade nine aircraft of the Brazilian Air Force. This upgrade will include Thales integrated cockpit avionics and the EADS CASA FITS mission system. New Zealand has selected L-3 Communications to upgrade six P-3K aircraft with new mission systems. The upgrade will also include new communications and navigation equipment.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd, based in Kobe, Japan, manufactures the P-3C aircraft in Japan under licensed agreement. Kawasaki is the prime contractor to the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) for the supply of up to 110 P-3C aircraft. Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI), based in Tokyo, manufactures the engines.
CREW STATIONS
The aircraft is flown by a crew of ten on missions up to 14 hours long. The flight deck accommodates the pilot, the co-pilot and the flight engineer. The main cabin is configured as a mission operations room for the tactical co-ordinator, the navigator and communications operator, two operators for the acoustic sensor suite, the electromagnetic sensors systems operator (responsible for the operation of the radar, electronic support measures, infrared detection system and magnetic anomaly detectors), the ordnance crew member and the flight technician. Circular protruding windows in the main cabin give the crew a 180° view.
ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE SYSTEMS
The aircraft’s anti-submarine warfare systems include the AN/ARR-78(V) sonobuoy receiving system supplied by Hazeltine Corporation of New York, the AN/ARR-72 sonobuoy receiver supplied by Flightline Electronics Inc of New York for the operation and management of buoys, two AQA-7 directional acoustic frequency analysis and recording sonobuoy indicators, and an AQH-4 (V) sonar tape recorder. The sensor suite also includes an ASQ-81 magnetic anomaly detector and an ASA-65 magnetic compensator. Sonobuoys are launched from within the main cabin and from the external hardpoints.
The airborne electronic surveillance receiver, ALQ-78(V) is carried on a pylon under the wing fairing. The system is supplied by Lockheed Martin based in New York and has also been manufactured under licence by Mitsubishi in Japan. The ALQ-78(V) automatically operates in search mode, its target primarily being submarine radars. When a submarine radar signal is detected, the system is switched to direction-finding mode and the received signals are characterised.
WEAPONS
The aircraft can carry weapons in the bomb bay and on ten underwing pylons. The bomb bay is in the underside of the fuselage forward of the wing. It is capable of carrying a 2000lb mine such as the Mk 25, Mk 39, Mk 55 or Mk 56. Alternative ordnance includes 1000lb mines, depth bombs, torpedoes, or nuclear depth bombs. The underwing pylons can carry 2000lb mines, torpedoes, rockets, rocket pods, and 500lb mines.
The US Navy P-3C aircraft are equipped to carry the Harpoon AGM-84 anti-ship and stand-off land attack missile. During the late 1990s the US Navy P-3C Orions armed with the Harpoon were deployed in Yugoslavia. US Navy P-3Cs are also being upgraded with the WESCAM 20 multi-sensor system, which includes thermal imager and CCD sensors.
In February 2004, the Boeing SLAM-ER standoff land attack missile completed integration on the US Navy P-3C Orion. 59 aircraft are to be modified to carry the missile by the end of 2004.
ENGINES
The aircraft is equipped with four Allison T56-A-14 turboprop engines rated at 3,661kW. Each engine drives a four-blade constant speed propeller, type 54H60-77 supplied by Hamilton Standard. There are five fuel tanks, one in the fuselage and four integral wing tanks with a total fuel capacity of 34,800l.
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October 15, 2004 at 11:37 pm