National Air Support has secured an exclusive deal with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to offer the US manufacturer's Mariner unmanned air vehicle for civil maritime surveillance. The partnership is the latest secured by the company in an effort to retain the Australian civil maritime surveillance contract for its subsidiary Surveillance Australia, writes Emma Kelly.
Last year National Air Support signed an exclusive deal with Canadian satellite imagery provider Radarsat International for the programme and speculation has been growing that it was seeking to line up General Atomics as an additional team member (Flight International, 12-18 August 2003).
The Mariner is based on the manufacturer's Predator B UAV, using the latter's fuselage and the longer wing - 23.2m (76ft) - of NASA's Altair UAV. Mariner has increased endurance of 49h due to the addition of internal fuel tanks. The Honeywell turboprop-powered UAV, fitted with an onboard camera system and maritime radar, can operate at speeds of over 200kt (370km/h).
The Australian Customs Service says it expects to release by the end of this month the draft tender for its civil maritime surveillance contract. A final tender will be issued in July. The Australian government has also signalled its interest in replacing its P-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft with some UAVs.
Source: Flight International
