while cabin windows were plugged and an
enhanced smoke detection system installed.
In September 2005, M7 received a
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) STC
for a similar adaptation for the ATR 72, which
has a ten-zone interior compared to the ATR
42’s seven or eight zones.
Some 50 conversions were produced
by 2010, before Elbit Systems of America
acquired M7. With the freight market in
decline, and exasperated by the global
economic downturn, Elbit allowed the
programme to lapse.MILITARY VERSIONS
ATR had been keen to promote its airliners
for military roles, but early plans for a
transport with a rear-loading ramp came to
nothing. However, a single ATR 42F with a
reinforced cabin oor and an air-openable
cargo door on the port side of the fuselage
went to the Gabon Air Force in 1989.
Promotion of a maritime surveillance
ATR 42 began in November 1995 at the
Dubai Air Show, initially as the ‘SAR 42’ but
developed as the ATR 42MP Surveyor. The
airframe had ‘bubble’ windows for observers
and an in- ight-operable oor hatch for
dropping search and rescue equipment,
but mission equipment could be tailored to
customers’ requirements.
All Surveyors built have the Raytheon
SV2022 search radar tted in a radome under
the fuselage; a FLIR turret; and pod-mounted
Spectrolab SX16E searchlight, all controlled
by the Leonardo (Selex Galileo) Airborne
Tactical Observation and Surveillance (ATOS)
mission suite in the cabin.The prototype (CMX62166) completed its
maiden ight on February 1, 1999, without
mission systems inside. The rst three
Surveyors were based on the ATR 42-420,
an interim version using the -320’s airframe
and -500’s six-blade propeller; others built
used the ATR 42-500 airframe.
Eight were eventually delivered to
the Italian Customs Service, the rst on
December 14, 1999. One also joinedLibya’s General Security Agency and two
were ordered for the Nigerian Air Force in
March 2007.
Dedicated maritime patrol aircraft (MPA)
and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) variants
are based on the larger ATR 72. Turkey
was the rst country to order this variant,
originally seeking ten -500s modi ed under
the MELTEM III programme by Turkish
Aerospace Industries (TAI).
They were due to be in service by 2010,
but the project suffered signi cant delays.In May 2013, by which time the -600 had
replaced the -500 on the production line, the
plan was restructured to include six TMPAs
(Turkish MPAs) and two Turkish Maritime
Utility Aircraft (TMUAs).
The latter, known locally as C-72s, were
con gured with combi interiors and handed
over in July and August 2013, entering
service with 301 Filo.
TAI received the rst prospective
TMPA (CSX62296) in April 2013 to install
the Thales airborne maritime situation
and control system plus other mission
equipment, subsequently re- ying on
January 4, 2017. All six should be delivered
by the end of this year under the terms of
the 2013 contract.
Italy ordered ATR 72-600 MPAs
(allocated the military designation
P-72As) to replace Breguet Atlantics.
Their mission equipment includes a
Leonardo Sea Spray 7300E radar, FLIR
Systems Star SAFIRE electro-optical/
infrared sensor, and ATOS data suite.
Armament is carried on four hardpoints
on the fuselage and under the wings.
The rst of four was handed over to
41° Stormo at Caselle on November 25,
2016, the type replacing the Atlantics
at Sigonella in September 2017. It was
planned that additional aircraft would be
delivered as optimised ATR 72-600 ASWs
(as P-72Bs) and the four P-72As upgraded
to the same con guration.SALES SUCCESS
ATR sold its 1,000th airliner in 2009,
delivering it on May 3, 2012 to Spanishhttp://www.aviation-news.co.uk 33ATR 42-201(F) EI-SLR, operated by DHL, visiting Leipzig, Germany, on January 22, 2016. AirTeamImages.com/Roman BeckerFedEx Feeder ATR 72-202(F) EI-FXJ
at Chopin, Poland, on March 15, 2014.
AirTeamImages.com/Jan Ostrowski“The airframe had
‘bubble’ windows
for observers and
an in-fl ight-operable
fl oor hatch for
dropping search and
rescue equipment”
30-34_atrDC.mfDC.mfDC.mf.indd 33 03/07/2018 15:08