VIDEO: Pakistan navy rolls out new ATR 72 and ScanEagle
02
SEPTEMBER, 2016 - BY: BETH
STEVENSON - LONDON
The Pakistan navy has inducted two new
capabilities into its air fleet, namely the ATR 72 twin-engined turboprop,
which will be configured as a maritime patrol aircraft, and the Insitu
ScanEagle unmanned air vehicle.
According to video and news
reports from Pakistan, chief of naval staff Adm Muhammad Zakaullah introduced
the aircraft at an event at Pakistan naval station Mehran in Karachi, saying
they would contribute to the service’s “Aviation Vision 2030”.
In July, pictures emerged of an
ATR 72 with Pakistan markings at Rheinland Air Service’s facilities in Germany,
where it is understood that the aircraft will undergo modifications to take it
to a maritime patrol configuration.
Sjekk video her: https://youtu.be/QoTDz1MWaCk
YouTube/Pakistan
army
Flight Fleets Analyzer shows
that the navy has three ATR 72s in its inventory that will receive the
modifications. Aircraft 712 and 808 were at the roll-out at Mehran, with the
former next to go in for conversion and the latter – having been delivered in
April – likely to be modified last.
Aircraft 788, meanwhile, is
already being configured, having entered the workshop in July, Flight Fleets
Analyzer shows.
The three aircraft had
previously been operated in a civilian role by airlines including Air
Botswana, Binter Canarias and Islas Airways.
The ScanEagle, meanwhile, was
acquired by Pakistan under an order with the US government placed via its
Foreign Military Sales mechanism. Announced in September 2015, the order was
made in parallel with others from Cameroon and Kenya, which are acquiring one
ScanEagle system each.
Details of Pakistan’s $15.2
million order were announced at the time by the US Department of Defense, but
the number of systems delivered was not disclosed. The DoD said hardware and
technical data would be delivered to the Pakistani government under the
programme by August 2016. It added that 90% of the programme work would be
carried out in the USA, with the remaining 10% in Pakistan.
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