Mexico has chosen EADS Casa's Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS) to convert Casa C212s to maritime surveillance aircraft to patrol its economic exclusion zone and aid anti-drugs missions.
FITS is a scalable maritime mission system that has also been selected by the United Arab Emirates to equip EADS Casa C295s and the Spanish air force for its Lockheed Martin P-3 Orions.
EADS says Mexico will send two C212s to Spain this year for conversion, while the Mexican navy has options to upgrade another six aircraft. These later aircraft would be equipped with FITS at the navy's Bajadas airbase in Veracruz, Mexico. The contract includes maintenance and upgrade of the airframes as well as the building of a mission support centre.
Meanwhile, the French air force has also ordered two EADS Casa CN235Ms and taken options on three transports. EADS says the aircraft will be -200s, the same as the 15 aircraft in French service, rather than the latest standard -300.
Source: Flight International
