Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) have unveiled a jointly developed low-cost maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) based on the Fairchild Dornier 228, for use by the Indian Navy and potential export customers.
Fitted with IAI division Tamam's Airborne Observation System (AOS) mission equipment, several early examples of the aircraft are understood to be in operation with the Indian Navy.
A number of 228s have been produced under licence in India by HAL. The aircraft have been sold in the civil and military markets, including an anti-ship version for the Indian Navy, and a maritime patrol aircraft for an export customer. A German-developed maritime version achieved some export success before the European company closed down its production line in the late 1990s.
IAI says that it sees "a big potential for this aircraft in India and for other customers". The maritime patrol aircraft is equipped with Elta's EL/M2022A radar, which IAI claims has a range of 200km (110nm), and installed in Australia's Lockheed P-3 Orions in an earlier upgrade.
The company claims the AOS is capable of "full day and night imagery intelligence gathering" and can be used for surveillance and reconnaissance missions and border and coastal patrol, as well as for the MPA.
Tamam's Airborne Multi-mission Optronic Stabilised Payload (AMOSP)is mounted on the belly of the 228 and can be used as an electro-optical sensor or as part of a "stand-alone AOS", says IAI. The aircraft can simultaneously transmit data to several ground locations and receive data from multiple "airborne sources", the company adds.
HAL is responsible for integrating the radar, electro-optical and mission systems. IAI says it sees export potential from "developing countries" for "a few dozen aircraft over the next three to five years".
Source: Flight International
