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P-72A Maritime Surveillance Aircraft Replaces Italy's P1150 Atlantic MPA

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Naval Aviation News - Italy
 
 
 
 
P-72A Maritime Surveillance Aircraft Replaces Italy's P1150 Atlantic MPA
 
The Italian Air Force phased out its last P1150 Breguet Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) and introduced the new P-72A (Leonardo ATR 72MP) during a ceremony held today in Sigonella. The Atlantic was used in Italian Air Force service for 45 years and flew over 250,000 hours combined.
     
P 72A MSA P1150 Atlantic MPA Italian Air Force 1The new P-72A and the old P1150 Atlantic flying together. Italian Navy picture.
     
The P-72A aircraft is the maritime surveillance variant of the ATR 72MP maritime patrol aircraft (used by the Turkish and Italian navies) itself based on the ATR 72-600 twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner. The Italian Air Force is the launch customer, with four aircraft.
     
P 72A MSA P1150 Atlantic MPA Italian Air Force 2The new P-72A and the old P1150 Atlantic flying together. Italian Navy picture.
     
The ATR 72MP can perform roles including maritime patrol, search and identification of surface vessels, Command, Control and Communication, ISR, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, SAR (Search and Rescue) missions, the prevention of narcotics trafficking, piracy, smuggling, territorial water security and monitoring and intervention in the event of environmental catastrophes.

According to Leonardo, the mission system is based on four state-of-the-art operator stations, using a significant upgrade of the proven Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance (ATOS) mission system of Leonardo’s Airborne & Space Systems Division. A complete C4I systems suite is available: multi-datalink fully integrating Link 16, Link 11, Satcom Ku/Ka, VORTEX, VMF and Radar Classifier, in addition to ESM ELINT (Electronic Support Measures – ELectronic INTelligence) capabilities.
     
P 72A MSA P1150 Atlantic MPA Italian Air Force 3The Italian Air Force phased out its last P1150 Breguet Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) and introduced the new P-72A (Leonardo ATR 72MP) during a ceremony in Sigonella.
     
The ATOS mission system is fully integrated with a militarised ATR-600 Glass Cockpit, (including TACAN, two SAASM VI INS/GPS and one IFF TX) and a radio management system so that 4 V/UHF and 2 HF Radios can be controlled by the mission system operators and also from the cockpit. The system integrates three main sensors, the Star Safire HD electro-optical turret; the Selex ES Seaspray 7300 electronically-scanned array search radar and the self-protection suite based on the Elettronica ELT800V2 ESM, providing the ATOS mission system with the capability to fully manage the tactical scenario with Radio Frequency tracks and enabling ELINT mission tasks.

The Self-Protection System suite, derived from the one that equips the C-27J Spartan battlefield airlifter, includes chaff & flare dispensers, missile and laser warning systems and a new RWR/ESM with ELINT and geo-localisation capabilities. The suite is integrated by a new DASS Management Computer and operated from the cockpit via a dedicated DASS display unit and DASS control panel.

The configuration also includes an Automatic Identification System (AIS), and a C-SAR ASARS (radio and satellite secure communications crypto devices).

The ATR 72MP system fully meets the most stringent requirements for hardware and software security.