tives at Boeing may also be wondering if Canada could represent a future export prospect. Canada has some major maritime security considerations, not least the possibility of a new year-round ice-free shipping route being opened over the Northwest Passage should the Artic ice cap continue to recede. To this end the country may decide to acquire a new MPA to replace the 18 P-3C Orions (locally designated CP-140 Aurora) aircraft that the Canadian Forces Air Command currently operates.
RUAG Aerospace performs a service converting Dornier Do-228 aircraft for special missions. This picture shows a pair of Do-228s being converted for use as maritime patrol platforms by the Netherlands © RUAG
Looking south across the 49th parallel, the US Navy is replacing its 170-strong P-3C fleet with Boeing's new P-8A design. The Poseidon is based around the Boeing 737 commercial airliner, but uses the fuselage of the 737-800 series and the wings of the -900 model. The hybrid design provides a large fuselage able to accommodate the aircraft's equipment and wings strong enough to carry ordnance and fuel, while also allowing the aircraft to manoeuvre comfortably at low altitude. The aircraft will provide the US Navy with a platform that can be steadily upgraded during its service life via a series of spiral increments. for example, in August last year it was announced that Raytheon had been awarded a three-year contract to install the Advanced Airborne Sensor onto the aircraft once it enters service, replacing the existing RaytheonBoeing Littoral Radar System used by the Orions. The US Navy expects to acquire a total of 117 P-8As, with the maiden flight of the first airframe occurring on 25th April 2009. In addition to obtaining the Poseidon airThe Armada de México (Mexican Navy) has taken delivery of the EADS-CASA C-212 Aviocar aircraft to perform maritime patrol. These planes are tasked with protecting the country’s oil installations and fighting narcotics trafficking © EADS
MARCH 2010
craft, the US Navy is upgrading its Orions to keep their capabilities sharp until their retirement. The aircraft will receive an enhancement via the Lockheed Martin Integrated Tactical Picture software upgrade which will fuse together the data from the aircraft’s various sensors, while a Link-16 datalink will allow this information to be shared with other P-3s. Looking towards the future, a number of new MPAs are entering the market place. In November last year, RUAG Aerospace rolled out its first Dornier 228NG (New Generation) variant of the Dornier 228. This aircraft has been designed for several missions, including maritime patrol, with the possibility of a float-equipped aircraft being constructed from 2012 to give the 228NG an amphibious design. Other new MPA products entering the market place include Viking Air’s maritime patrol, and search and rescue variant of the Twin Otter, known as the Series 400 which is outfitted with an EO/IR payload, track-while-scan radar; laser rangefinder and illuminator; a camera, underwing hardpoints and up to ten hours’ endurance; all for under $10 million. At the larger end of the scale, Bombardier of Canada has developed an MPA version of the Q400, which is a development of the company’s Q200 and Q300, both aircraft already used for the maritime patrol mission.
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