Defence

Leonardo to deliver two ATR 72 MPA surveillance jets to Malaysia

Leonardo to deliver two ATR 72 MPA surveillance jets to Malaysia.
The ATR 72 MPA is a twin-turboprop aircraft specifically designed for complex maritime patrol missions.

The agreement encompasses the delivery of two ATR Special Mission aircraft to Malaysia in Maritime Patrol configuration, along with integrated logistic support and training services.

Leonardo, a leading aerospace company, has announced that The Ministry of Defence of Malaysia has signed a contract for the procurement of two ATR 72 MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) platforms. The signing ceremony took place during LIMA 2023, a prominent maritime and defense exhibition held in Langkawi, Malaysia. This contract follows the previous announcement in October regarding Leonardo’s selection for the supply of the ATR 72 MPA solution. The agreement encompasses the delivery of two ATR Special Mission aircraft in Maritime Patrol configuration, along with integrated logistic support and training services.

The ATR 72 MPA is a twin-turboprop aircraft specifically designed for complex maritime patrol missions. It represents the latest specialized variant of the ATR regional transport aircraft, which is part of Leonardo’s extensive range of aircraft developed for various missions, including maritime surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface unit Warfare (AsuW), Search & Rescue (SAR), environmental monitoring, medical evacuation, and personnel and material transport.

The ATR 72 MPA is optimized for maritime patrol, electronic intelligence (ELINT) gathering, sea surface and submerged target detection and tracking, SAR operations, countering illegal activities such as drug trafficking, piracy, and smuggling, as well as protecting territorial waters. Furthermore, there is potential for it to evolve into a fully-fledged Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface unit Warfare (AsuW) platform.

Dario Marfè, Senior Vice President of Aircraft Commercial & Customer Services, Leonardo said, “We are proud that the Malaysian Government has chosen our ATR 72 MPA, an aircraft which represents Leonardo’s advanced technological capabilities in the design and integration of platforms and systems at the highest levels. The ATR 72 MPA combines reliability and low operating costs, all the advantages of the ATR 72-600 regional passenger transport aircraft, and features a state-of-the-art Leonardo mission system. It is positioned on the market as a tremendously effective solution for the security and defense of its customers.”

The selected aircraft for Malaysia retains the reliability, maintainability, low lifecycle costs, and passenger comfort features of the baseline ATR 72-600. Additionally, they will be equipped with a flexible mission system, advanced sensors, and a comprehensive communications suite for Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) missions over land and sea. The sensors and mission systems will operate in both stand-alone and net-centric modes, enabling the collection, processing, and sharing of strategic data among operators while providing complete situational awareness of the operational scenario.

The ATR 72 MPA variants currently in service with military and law enforcement organizations are equipped with the modular Leonardo ATOS (Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance) mission system, which will also be incorporated into the Malaysian configuration. The ATOS effectively manages the aircraft’s on-board sensors, consolidating the gathered information and providing a comprehensive and continuously updated tactical picture to the mission system operators.

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With its commercial heritage, the ATR 72 MPA features an ergonomic design that enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the crew during missions, which can often last for more than eight hours. The ATR-based Special Mission aircraft are well-suited to meet a wide range of customer requirements across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Many local operators of the ATR regional turboprop aircraft have already benefited from extended logistics support.