Andy Nativi/GENOA
Italy's air force and navy are considering the lease of Lockheed Martin P-3 Orions as a possible solution to the country's maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) needs. The discussions come in the face of delays with a combined German/Italian MPA competition.
As part of the discussions, the air force is proposing the transfer of its Dassault Atlantic MPAs to the navy. Italy has 18 aircraft split between two wings in Sardinia and Sicily. Although owned by the air force, the aircraft are manned by mixed air force/navy crews and are under the navy's operational control.
The air force is unhappy with the arrangement and is seeking to transfer full responsibility to the navy, as well as disbanding the Sardinia wing and concentrating the fleet at Sigonella, Sicily. A final decision is not expected until after the defence minister has appointed a new chief of the air staff.
The future of the Atlantic fleet is also affecting the aircraft's replacement programme. Germany and Italy are planning a joint Atlantic replacement, but progress has been slow and a request for proposals, which should have been issued last year, has still to be released. The RFP is also described as "very basic" by sources in Rome.
One of the problems is a shortage of funding within the German defence ministry as well as the likely overall cost of the programme. Proposals include an Atlantic 3 and new or refurbished P-3s, while Italian industry has also suggested an anti-submarine warfare version of the ATR 72 regional turboprop and a possible MPA version of the Airbus Military Company's A400M airlifter.
Furthermore, although the RFP has not been issued, the new MPA's in-service date cannot be delayed any longer because the Italian Atlantics are approaching the end of their service life.
The operational availability of the aircraft is low and the cost of maintaining the aircraft is increasing.
Sources in Italy say that, while Rome awaits a possible decision to delay, downscale or withdraw from the programme, it has quietly started to seek other solutions.
Italy has started to assess the lease of US Navy P-3s, which would be refurbished and equipped with new mission systems, but would not receive upgraded cockpits or engines. Italy early this year leased Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters to allow it to retire its elderly Lockheed F-104 Starfighters and bridge the gap before the Eurofighter enters service.
Italy's MPA requirement is stated as 14 aircraft to replace the 18 Atlantics, but the preliminary P-3 lease discussions involve no more than nine aircraft. The nine would be P-3A/B airframes and are considered the minimum possible size force.
The lease could last up to 10 years and is viewed in Rome as a low-cost interim measure, allowing Italy to join the USN's Multimission Maritime Aircraft programme, intended to replace USP-3s from 2014.
Source: Flight International
