Alenia Aeronautica, ROME: Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, has signed a contract with the Italian Coast Guard to supply a third ATR42MP Surveyor in basic configuration, without the specific mission equipment.
A subsequent contract will cover the integration and the installation of the mission systems on the aircraft, which will be carried out at the Turin and Brindisi plants of Alenia Aeronavali, a subsidiary of Alenia Aeronautica.
The missionized aircraft will be delivered in early 2010 in a configuration very similar to that of the two ATR42MPs currently in service with the Coast Guard.
The ATR42MP will be used for search and rescue and maritime patrol operations, control of smuggling, piracy and illegal immigration, vessels’ search and identification, sea safeguard and pollution and environmental control.
The ATR42MP is the maritime patrol version of the ATR. It is currently the most successful regional turboprop aircraft family in the world with 950 aircraft ordered, and is designed, developed and produced by Alenia Aeronautica. Other Italian companies collaborating in this programme include Finmeccanica company Galileo Avionica (ATOS mission system), as well as Elettronica (ESM system), Elmer (radio) and OMA (pylons and search pod).
Ten ATR42MPs have been ordered so far: three by the Italian Coast Guard; four by the Italian Guardia di Finanza (Customs Police); two by the Nigerian Air Force and one by the Libyan General Security Corps.
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