AFM signs contract for new maritime patrol aircraft

The Armed Forces of Malta has signed a contract for the provision of a second maritime patrol aircraft, funded by the 2010 External Borders Fund (EBF).

This contract is for another new King Air B200, complete with integrated systems, training and a service support package. It includes training and a maintenance agreement. The contract for the first such aircraft was signed in October 2009.

This is the fourth contract signing utilising such funds. Seventy five per cent of the funds will be provided by the EBF and remaining 25 per cent by the government. The global sum allocated to this project was €9.696 million.

The contract was signed by AFM Commander Martin Xuereb, Aerodata AG president Hans J. Stahl and general contracts director Francis Attard.

This AFM-operated aircraft will augment the current fixed wing fleet and perform an additional role in the protection of the southern external borders of the EU, through missions which include detection, identification and coordination operations. In a secondary function, the aircraft will perform search and rescue flights.

The KingAir B200 is manufactured by Hawker Beech Corporation, based in Wichita, USA.

Aerodata, as the prime contractor will again handle the complete process chain to provide a fully equipped aircraft.

The specialised mission system equipment, sourced from Europe and America, integrates a Telephonics RDR 1700B 360° belly mounted radar, a Wescam MX 15i Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) system, SAR direction finder plus a number of other sensors and communication equipment, including satellite communication and data transmission. The aircraft will be modified at the Aerodata’s facilities at Braunschweig airport.

The AFM will take delivery of this aircraft in March 2012. The first KingAir is expected to be delivered next month.