Airforces Tornado tribute

he Kustbevakningen (KBV,

Swedish Coast Guard)

operates three Bombardier

Dash 8 Q300 maritime patrol and

reconnaissance aircraft. Serials

KBV 501, 502 and 503 delivered

in 2008 are based at Stockholm

Skavsta Airport, near Nyköping.

The KBV’s Flight Division

provides a high level of

preparedness for environmental

and search and rescue

(SAR) operations at sea, with

surveillance being conducted

along the Swedish coast and

over the giant lakes of Vänern

and Mälaren, around the

clock, every day of the year.

Modified by Canada’s Field

Aviation in collaboration with

L-3 Communications, the

aircraft are outfitted with three

identical operator stations.

Two observation stations are

provided with large windows

for visual surveillance, while

the third can be used by

observers, rescue leaders and/

or co-ordinators or for training.

The normal crew numbers four,

but cabin seating is available

for up to seven passengers.

Mission equipment on the

Q300s includes an Elta EL/M

2022A surveillance radar that

locates and plots shipping sectors

at up to 200nm depending on

altitude. Selected radar targets

are presented automatically

as a tactical plot as part of the

Automatic Identification System

(AIS) which can display a vessel’s

identity, type, speed, course

and callsign. An Argon AA

3503 infrared/ultraviolet (IR/UV)

scanner can verify, document

data and detect oil slicks. Used in

conjunction with the side-looking

airborne radar (SLAR), oil spills

as far as 24.8 miles (40km) on

either side of the aircraft can be

detected and data-documented.

European

maritime

patrol

aircraft

Sweden

T

Coast Guard on patrol

38 // JUNE 2018 #363 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

European MPAs Part 5

Fleet

Survey