Alenia Aeronautica at DEFEXPO 2004

Alenia Aeronautica at DEFEXPO 2004

(Source: Alenia Aeronautica; issued Jan. 23, 2004)

Italy’s largest aerospace industry, Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, participates at “Defexpo 2004” in New Delhi from February 4th to 7th.

At the Finmeccanica Stand (Hall 12 – n.08) Alenia Aeronautica exhibits the model of the new aircraft for maritime patrol ATR42 MP, a derivative of the successful twin turboprop ATR42 regional transport aircraft. Together with the ATR72 version, over 670 of these aircraft have been sold worldwide.

The new Alenia Aeronautica ATR42 MP (Maritime Patrol) Surveyor aircraft is considered the ultimate response to any maritime patrol requirement by many countries worldwide.

Three ATR42 MP have been ordered by the Italian Guardia di Finanza (Customs Police) and entered service since 1999. One aircraft has been also delivered to the Italian Coast Guard while an additional aircraft will be delivered within few months.

Currently, many Asian countries have shown interest in the ATR42 MP. In fact many countries with long coastlines require maritime patrol operations such as narcotics control, anti-piracy, protection of territorial waters (fishing, mineral rights, etc.) and intervention following ecological disasters (oil spills, chemical pollution).

Particularly, in India there is a requirement for an MPA (maritime patrol aircraft) for the Indian Coast Guard, which could be satisfied with the ATR 42 MP by Alenia Aeronautica.

Alenia Aeronautica has also developed the ATR72 ASW, a new version based on the ATR72-500 aircraft to meet the growing demand for a medium range anti-submarine warfare aircraft at lower costs.

The ATR72 ASW integrates the ATR 42 Maritime Patrol Mission System with the same on-board equipment but with additional Anti Submarine Warfare capabilities.

In Turkey within the framework of the Meltem 3 program, the ATR72 ASW is now participating in the bid for an antisubmarine aircraft.

In a near future also the Indian Navy should have an interest for a Medium Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft and Alenia Aeronautica, jointly with HAL – Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd – has been showed the ATR72 ASW to the Indian Navy.

As far as other aeronautic sectors the main areas for cooperation between the Italian and Indian Aerospace industries regard the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). Alenia Aeronautica has already started to supply to HAL, NAL (National Aerospace Laboratories) and ADA (Aeronautics Development Agency) the new generation composite wing skins, industrial advice and on-job training.

Future areas of cooperation with the Indian aerospace industries may regard the medium Tactical Transport Aircraft requirement for the Indian Air Force and the Aviation Army. In this market segment Alenia Aeronautica has developed with Lockheed Martin the C-27J, the most advanced programme of the new military tactical transport airlift generation.

The aircraft has been evaluated with great interest by several countries in many demonstration tours (Far East, Saudi Arabia, Europe, United States and Canada), where the C-27J proved its remarkable reliability and capability of adaptation to different operating theatres and once again showed its uncommon take-off and landing capabilities even in short and semi-prepared strips.

THE PRODUCTS

–ATR- 42 MP: The new ATR-42 MP (Maritime Patrol) of Alenia Aeronautica is a highly innovative aircraft, derived from the regional transport aircraft ATR-42 and is capable of many kinds of missions.

The airlift, in fact, can accomplish missions of maritime patrol (for vessels search and identification), SAR (Search and Rescue), fight against drug traffic, pirates, smugglers; intervention in case of ecological disasters (oil spills, chemical pollution), exclusive zone protection (fishing, off-shore minerals rights), pollution control.

Alenia Aeronautica is also responsible for the integration system of the aircraft. Two aircraft are already in force within the Italian Guardia di Finanza (Customs Police) that has recently signed an agreement for a third unit.
Two further ATR-42 MPs have been delivered to the Italian Coast Guard. All four aircraft are fully operational and in regular service. Potential customers are countries such as Sweden, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Philippines.

–C-27J: The C-27J Spartan is the result of the international collaboration between Alenia Aeronautica and Lockheed Martin and uses the technology and experience acquired by the two companies in the military transport aircraft field (C-130, C-5, C-141 and G-222). In fact Alenia Aeronautica and Lockheed Martin have so far delivered over 2.400 military transport aircraft in more than 65 countries.

The C-27J’s several capabilities are: troops, cargo and sanitary material transport, cargo and parachutists launches, maritime patrol, SAR (Search and Rescue) and fire fighting.

The C-27J is capable of taking off and landing from airstrips 500 meters long, with a maximum weight at the taking off phase of 31.800 kgs.; it may carry over 62 completely equipped soldiers or over 46 parachutists and, in the air ambulance version, 36 stretchers and 6 medical assistants.

The C-27J, now under full production, has been ordered by the Italian Air Force (12 units) and Hellenic Air Force (another 12). Recently the aircraft has carried out a demo-tour in the U.S. and in Canada where it has proved its remarkable performance and tactical capabilities. In the U.S., in particular, the C-27J is in pole position to replace the C-23 Sherpa – over 40 units – used so far for the transport of men and equipment for the National Guard. The C-27J is the “economically and technically most advantageous” answer to the need of renewing the Search and Rescue airlift fleet (the Buffalos and the C-130H) used by the Defence Department of the Ottawa Government, which could purchase 15 units of the Italian-U.S. airlift.

–ATR-72 ASW: Alenia Aeronautica is also developing the ATR-72 ASW, a new version derived from the ATR-72/500, meant to meet the requirement of a medium range and low cost airlift capable of accomplishing ASW missions.

The ATR-72 ASW integrates ATR-42 Maritime Patrol mission system with the anti-submarine capabilities.

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