African Nation Receives King Air 350ERs Configured for Maritime Patrol

Leonardo has delivered two King Air 350ER Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) to the Navy of an unspecified African nation.

"Leonardo has revealed that two King Air 350ERs, equipped as Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), have gone into service with an African Navy following their delivery by the Company, which acted as prime contractor and systems integrator for the aircraft," the company said in a statement Monday.

The MPAs, equipped with Leonardo’s ATOS mission system and full complement of sensors including its Seaspray E-scan surveillance radar, will be used for a range of missions including search and rescue, littoral security and the monitoring of illegal migration, fishing and pollution.

The aircraft have been certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) as ready to fly.

Leonardo offers this service for mid-life upgrades, taking an existing aircraft and equipping it with advanced new sensors, all controlled through its ATOS mission system.

The suite of surveillance sensors on-board the two King Air 350ER planes includes E-scan ‘Seaspray’ maritime radar, which comes with a range of modes including a patented small-target-detection function. An Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) transponder
and interrogator, Link 11 datalink and third-party electro-optical turret were also integrated, with Leonardo’s ATOS mission system bringing everything together and fusing the data into a workload-reducing ‘single tactical picture’ for operators.

ATOS can be installed on platforms such as the ATR 42(72) MP, DA-62 MSA, Dash-8, Beechcraft KA350, Casa CN235, Piaggio Aero P166, A 109, AW139, AW169, Bell 412 and AS300B3 helicopters.