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EADS North America delivers first CN235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft to Mexico under U.S. FMS
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Navy Force News - Mexico / USA / Europe
EADS
North America delivers first CN235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft to Mexico
under U.S. FMS
EADS
North America has delivered the first of four Airbus Military CN235-300
Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) it will supply to the Mexican Navy. The
program is a foreign military sales contract managed by the U.S. Coast
Guard. The Coast Guard uses a configuration of this same twin-engine
aircraft – the HC-144A Ocean Sentry – for its own patrol,
surveillance, transport and disaster relief mission duties.
This is the first U.S. foreign military sale for the highly successful
CN235 tactical airlifter family produced by Airbus Military, a business
unit of EADS. Under the $157.6 million order, EADS North America will
also supply spares provisioning, ground support equipment and associated
training.
“This airframe is performing exceptionally in a wide range
of missions for the U.S. Coast Guard, and we’re proud to serve
our country’s national interests by supporting the Mexican Navy
with a great capability as well,” said Sean O’Keefe, EADS
North America CEO.
The new CN235-300 MPAs will further strengthen Mexico’s ability
to support the Mérida Initiative, a cooperative security arrangement
between the U.S., Mexico and Central American countries. Duties for
the new aircraft include homeland security, search and rescue, military
readiness, cargo and personnel transport, drug interdiction and maritime
environmental protection.
Mexican Navy
CN235-300 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA)
(picture: EADS North America)
More than 200 Airbus Military CN235s are in operation
within 20 countries today. EADS North America has delivered 12 CN235-300s
to the U.S. Coast Guard in the HC-144A Ocean Sentry configuration. The
service plans to acquire a total of 36 to gradually replace its aging
HU-25 Guardian fleet.
This CN235 in MPA configuration incorporates the latest technology developed
for surveillance over the sea. The combination of a Forward Looking
Infra Red (FLIR) system and search radar allows the aircraft to locate
and track ships to conduct thorough patrols of a coastline. The Automatic
Identification System (AIS) and the Fully Integrated Tactical System
(FITS) help make this aircraft the ideal tool to carry out military
surveillance missions for the Mexican Navy. The FITS was developed by
Airbus Military and ensures that the extensive data gathered by the
aircraft’s on-board sensors can be easily used by the crew to
execute their mission.
Source: EADS press release