Leonardo (formerly Alenia Aermacchi) has redelivered the first of six ATR 72-600 Turkish Maritime Patrol Aircraft (TMPAs) to Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) following the completion of certification activities. The TMPA landed at TAI’s facilities in Akinci to start final testing at the beginning of March. The ATR 72-600 Turkish Maritime Patrol Aircraft, named Meltem 3 in Turkey, will be handed over to the Turkish Navy following the completion of final testing in the coming months.
Leonardo has signed an agreement with Savunma Sanayii Müsteşarlığı (SSM), the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries to deliver two ATR 72-600 TMUA (Turkish Maritime Utility Aircraft) and six ATR 72-600 TMPA (Turkish Maritime Patrol Aircraft) to the Turkish Navy. The contract calls for strong industrial collaboration between Alenia Aermacchi and Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI) for the duration of the project. The agreement is an amendment to a previous deal between Alenia and the Turkish government for the delivery of 10 ATR 72-500 ASW to the Turkish Navy.
The six ATR 72-600TMPA are designed as multi-role assets to satisfy the Turkish Navy maritime patrol requirement. The aircraft will see the integration of the Thales AMASCOS mission system and will include new functionalities such as AIS, Link 16 and the last generation weapon systems, like the Mk 54 Light Weight Torpedo.The AMASCOS (Airborne Maritime Situation & Control System) mission system relies on multiple sensors to detect, identify and track threats, maintain real-time tactical situation awareness, manage NATO and national tactical data links and deploy onboard weapon systems.
The ATR 72TMPA is the Turkish Navy version of the ATR 72ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare), a highly effective, middle-size, anti-submarine aircraft with competitive acquisition and operational costs. It is a special version of the ATR 72 turboprop regional aircraft made by the French-Italian ATR joint venture (Alenia Aermacchi/EADS). The typical missions of this version include vessel search and identification, search and rescue (SAR), drug, smuggling and piracy control, environmental control (pollution by oil and chemical substances), maritime patrol roles, economic exclusive zone patrol (fishing, off-shore platforms), and Anti-Submarine Warfare.
