A United Arab Emirates Navy (UAEN) requirement for four anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) is pitting European companies against each other.
MPA requirements in the Gulf are driven by Iran's Russian-built Kilo-class submarines, which could be used to close the Straits of Hormuz.
EADS Casa sent its C295 Persuader to Abu Dhabi for demonstration flights, while Alenia and Thales were also in evidence. An Embraer source says the UAEN has already been briefed on the ASW/MPA version of theERJ-145 regional airliner.
The C295 demonstrator is equipped with the company's Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS) recently selected by the Spanish air force to upgrade its Lockheed Martin P-3 Orions.
FITS marketing manager Fernado Ciria says the system's open architecture allows the integration of the customer's sensor choice. The demonstrator has a Raytheon 1022 radar, a FLIR Systems Safire forward-looking infrared and an acoustic system made by Spanish company SAES. It features an Indra electronic support measures suite, and Link 11 and 16 datalinks for NATO customers, or Link Y for non-NATO buyers.
Modifications to the aircraft include the FLIR and radar installations, bubble observation windows, a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD), sonobuoy launcher and six underwing hardpoints.
The FITS offered to the Turkish navy and coastguard has four Mission consoles, which would be installed in locally built CN235Ms for the UAE. Prior to IDEX, the C295 was demonstrated in Turkey. It will fly to the USA next month for a tour of US Coast Guard airbases, as the aircraft has been selected by all three bidders in the Deepwater competition to replace a host of USCG aircraft and ships.
Alenia is modifying the ATR42MP configuration system used by the Italian Coast Guard and customs service into an ASW by adding an acoustic element and installing the system on the larger ATR72. The ATR72 will also feature weapons pylons and a MAD.
The UAE Navy chose Thales' Airborne Maritime Situation Control System (AMASCOS) for integration with IPTN-built CN235Ms several years ago.
The French company is offering the Bombardier Dash 8 as the platform, with integration design complete. Pakistan navy Dassault Atlantics use the open-architecture AMASCOS system. Most of the sensors in the baseline system are Thales produced.
Source: Flight International
