exhibited a modified Saab 340.
For several years, the company
was contracted by the French Air
Force to supply a civilian-registered
Fairchild SA227-AT Merlin IVC
for SIGINT missions over Libya.
The aircraft operated out of Malta
International Airport, Valetta, until
October 24, 2016, when it crashed,
claiming the lives of three French
military officers in the rear as
well as two CAE aircrew. Nearly
three years on, the company is
marketing its ‘new’ Saab 340 with
significant modifications. Saab has
used the same airframe over the
past six years to market a maritime
security aircraft to the UK and
other countries, and it still wears
the same colour scheme and
‘Maritime Security’ titles applied by
the Swedish firm. Saab confirmed
the aircraft had been sold to a US
company, which then sold it on to
CAE just a week or so before the
Paris Air Show. Company officials
were tight-lipped about their new
acquisition, but French Air Force
officials were seen looking around
the aircraft on several occasions.
One obvious modification since
being operated by Saab is the
large satellite communications
antenna housing on top of the
aircraft, as well as two WESCAM
EO/IR turrets. At the front was
the larger MX-20HD and at the
rear an MX-15HDi that allows
operators in the cabin to look
more closely at objects on the
ground. According to available
information, the aircraft also has a
full-motion video data link and an
active electronically scanned array
(AESA) radar with ground moving
target indicator (GMTI). However
a company source confirmed
that no radar has been integrated
yet, and the radar type dependsupon customer requirements.
Viking Air was highlighting
its Twin Otter Guardian 400
intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft
at Paris. The version on show
included a Leonardo Osprey 30
AESA radar plus a Hensoldt Argos-
II EO/IR system integrated into the
Airborne Technologies SCAR (Self
Contained Aerial Reconnaissance)
pod under the starboard wing. The
sensor is housed there to provide
sufficient ground clearance, should
the aircraft be operating from
rough terrain. The Twin Otter’s
appearance was ahead of a
planned nine-month world tour,
set to begin in September and
including demonstration flights
in Europe, Africa, the Middle
East, India, Southeast Asia,
Oceania and North America.
Also on display was the secondPakistan Navy ATR 72-212A
MPA (serial 78) upgraded by
Rheinland Air Service (RAS) at
Mönchengladbach, Germany. This
was being exhibited just three
weeks before delivery on July 10.
Known as the Sea Eagle, most of
the systems integration is based
around Aerodata’s AeroMission
system. The Leonardo Seaspray
7300 maritime surveillance radar
for long-range detection and
classification is the main sensor
and short-range classification
is provided by a FLIR Star
SAFIRE III EO/IR system. Two
weapons hardpoints can carry a
pair of MU90 torpedoes. Italy’s
Elettronica Group has supplied
the electronic support measures
(ESM) systems for both long-
and short-range detection of
threats, alongside a chaff and
flare system for self-protectionagainst infrared, radar or laser
threats. According to Aerodata
there is also an ELINT payload.
RAS beat off stiff competition
from Canada’s PAL Aerospace
and Italy’s Leonardo to sign the
contract to provide two aircraft
in 2015. Work commenced
the following year and the first
ATR 72-212A MPA (serial 79)
was delivered to the Pakistan
Naval Aviation’s 29 Squadron at
Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Mehran
on June 18 last year. However,
the aircraft had not reached full
operating capability by the end of
the year due to alleged failures of
onboard systems. Together, the
ATRs will assist Pakistan Navy
ships in monitoring 114,000sq
miles (295,000km^2 ) of exclusive
economic zone waters. There’s
also an option to upgrade a
third aircraft (serial 77).Artist’s rendering of the Guardian 400 Technical Demonstrator aircraft, featuring SCAR pod with Hensoldt Argos-II
EO/IR imaging turret (left wing), SCAR pod with Leonardo Osprey radar and Sentient Vision Systems ViDAR camera
(right wing), Airborne Technologies’ tactical workstation, Viking conformal bubble windows, Ikhana wing-mounted
hardpoints, Thunder Bay Aviation stretcher racks and aft lavatory. VikingAbove: A pair of RAF Sentinel R1 surveillance aircraft from No 5 (Army Co-operation) Squadron deployed at an air
base in the Middle East during Operation Herrick. The MOD is examining the Poseidon as a candidate to replace the
Sentinel R1 in the overland wide-area surveillance role following its planned retirement in 2021. Sgt Laura Bibby RAF
Below: The UK’s fi rst Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft lands at RAF Waddington in November 2013. This aircraft, RC-
135W ZZ664, became the fi rst RAF Rivet Joint to complete a major upgrade with L3 Technologies at Greenville, Texas,
in May. SAC Blake Carruthers/MODAFM34 // September 2019 #378 http://www.airforcesmonthly.comIntel
Report
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