Pakistan Navy received its first ever ATR-72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) in May 2018, from German firm Aerodata AG.
The contract was signed in 2015 to convert two ATR-72 aircraft to Maritime Patrol Aircraft. Accordingly the work on the project started in January 2016 after the German government gave an official export approval.
Now one of the aircraft has successfully been converted and delivered to the Pakistan Navy after completing intensive ground and flight tests. This delivery represents a major milestone for Rheinland Air Service as prime contractor and Aerodata as the key project partner.
Some of the features of this naval patrol aircraft include,Leonardo Seaspray 7300E AESA radar,Elettronica ESM suite,FLR Systems Star SAFFIRE III EO/IR turret, and Anti-submarine lightweight torpedo. Pakistan Navy’s new MPA’s will be used to effectively carry out “maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and also search-and-rescue” missions.
The Pakistan Navy is like to have four more such aircrafts in this category. This will increase its surveillance capabilities, many a fold.
India already has 8x P8 Is, LRMP aircrafts with four more arriving shortly, operating from the Eastern Coast. Without wasting time India needs to place orders for 12 more P8 Is, so that we have a second squadron of LRMP operating from the Western Coast. We also need have two more squadrons of Dorniers with upgraded electronics to bolster the short Range maritime patrolling activities. Constant surveillance of Pak Navy along with 24×7 eye on Gwadar is a must.
