Italian Air Force Orders Four ATR 72 MP Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Released on Wednesday, January 07, 2009

 

22 December 2008 - Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, and the Direzione Generale Armamenti Aeronautici (General

Management for Aeronautical Armaments) of the Defence Ministry, have reached an agreement for the

supply of four ATR72 Maritime Patrol aircraft. The medium-range, twin-engine turbine airplanes will be

delivered to the Italian Air Force starting from 2012, to be used for the maritime patrolling with mixed crews

with the Italian Navy.

The aircraft is a version of the regional turboprop ATR72, developed ad-hoc by Alenia Aeronautica and

offers a greater autonomy as compared to the ATR42MPs already in service with the Guardia di Finanza

(Customs Police) and the Coast Guard, which have already in service 7 units for maritime patrol roles such

as surveillance of national sea, maritime routes and economic exclusive zone patrol and to counter

smuggling and clandestine immigration.

ItAF’s ATR72MPs will be equipped with the SELEX Galileo, a Finmeccanica company, ATOS mission

system, which integrates the Seaspray, electronic-scan surveillance radar and the EOST, electro-optical

multi-sensor turret, for the identification of boats and persons in any weather condition.

The aircraft will also be equipped with last-generation communication systems and, through a datalink

system, will be able to transmit information in real time to the ground command and control centres and

other platforms, both in flight and on sea, for the coordination and maximum effectiveness of the operations.

 

Source: Alenia Aeronautica signs contract for four maritime patrol ATR72