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Team SkyGuardian Canada
Korean MPA requirement
Local media outlets were reporting
in late May, 2018, that the Republic
of Korea’s Defense Acquisition
Program Administration (DAPA) is
considering proposals from Airbus
Defence and Space, Boeing and
Saab for its maritime patrol aircraft
(MPA) requirements.
The Korea Times reported on May 15,
2018, that the DAPA wanted to sign a
contract with the winner of the KRW
1.9 trillion competition, to provide
the next generation maritime patrol
aircraft by 2020.Boeing and Saab have previously
said that they would bid for the
deal, offering the P-8A Poseidon
and Global 6000-based Swordfish
platforms respectively.
On May 17, 2018, during a press
conference in Seoul, Airbus
Defence and Space also declared
its intention to participate in the
MPA replacement programme. The
European manufacturer’s proposal is
based upon the C295 MPA platform.
Brian Kim, head of sales for Airbus
Korea Defence and Space, toldlocal reporters: “Based on our
understanding of Korea’s budget
and requirements, Airbus will be
able to offer up to 20 C295MPAs. A
larger fleet results in more effective
and persistent coverage and allows
Korea to respond to any potential
threats more quickly... The
C295MPA is proven in service and
is not just a concept aircraft. With
its lower acquisition and operating
costs, we estimate that operating
a C295MPA will result in significant
savings for the Republic of Korea.”At the Singapore Air Show in
February, Airbus Defence and Space
announced a multimission variant of
the commercial A320neo aircraft,
which included an MPA-configured
version, but the company said it
would wait for a customer before it
proceeded with a formal launch.
In late May, 2018, reports from
Seoul suggested that a decision on
whether to issue an open tender
for a maritime patrol aircraft or to
pursue a sole-source solution would
be made in June 2018. Nigel PittawayDassault Aviation announced
on May 28, 2018, that the Japan
Coast Guard (JCG) had ordered an
additional Falcon 2000 Maritime
Surveillance Aircraft (MSA). The
JCG had previously ordered four
Falcon 2000 MSA aircraft, with the
first to be delivered in 2019.
The Falcon 2000 MSA is based on the
civil Falcon 2000LXS, which offers a
4,000 nautical mile (7,408km) range
and in JCG service will be used for
maritime surveillance, fisheries and
anti-piracy patrol, law enforcement,
search and rescue, and intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance
operations.
Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of
Dassault Aviation said: “Our success
in the multimission sector is a
perfect example of the benefits we
derive from our dual military/civil
design and production heritage,in particular our multi-role Rafale
fighter... This makes it possible
to integrate advanced mission
equipment into agile, lightweight
platforms that offer truly optimised
multimission capability.”
The JCG acquisition follow several
other successes notched up by the
Falcon 2000, including selection
by France’s Direction générale
de l’armement (the Directorate-
General for Armaments) as the next
generation electronic intelligence
capability and a signals intelligence
variant for the Republic of Korea
Air Force, which is due to enter
service this year. The type has also
been selected by the Deutsches
Zentrum für Luft - und Raumfahrt
(German Aerospace Centre), as the
basis for its new in-flight systems
and technology airborne research
platform. Nigel PittawayFifth Falcon 2000 MSA for Japan Coast Guard
The Airbus C295MPA variant has been sold to countries that include Oman (pictured here at Seville, prior to delivery in October 2015) and Chile. Nigel PittawayThe first Falcon 2000MSA for the Japanese Coast Guard, N332FJ (c/n 332), at
Waco, Texas on April 6, 2018 where it is being modified with special mission
equipment by L3 and Thales. Matt Ellis. Matt Ellis