Malaysia has signed a contract with Leonardo to acquire two ATR 72 MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) platforms, reinforcing the aircraft’s status as an ideal solution for the country’s operational requirements.
The ATR 72 MPA is designed for complex maritime patrol missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface unit warfare, search and rescue, and environmental monitoring. This contract comes after Malaysia’s October decision to select Leonardo‘s twin-turboprop aircraft.
It will have a mission system, advanced sensors, and a communications suite for command, communications, control, intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (C4ISR) missions over land and sea.
The ATR 72 MPA is optimized for maritime patrol, electronic intelligence (ELINT) gathering, sea surface and submerged target detection and tracking, SAR operations, countering illegal activities such as drug trafficking, piracy, and smuggling, and protecting territorial waters.
Variants of the ATR 72 MPA, already in service with military and law enforcement organizations, are equipped with Leonardo’s modular ATOS (Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance) mission system, which will also be included in the Malaysian configuration.
Other notable nations with the ATR-72 MPAs in their fleet include the Pakistan Navy and the Turkish Navy.
Dario Marfè, SVP of Aircraft Commercial & Customer Services at Leonardo, said: “We are proud that the Malaysian Government has chosen our ATR 72 MPA, an aircraft which represents Leonardo’s advanced technological capabilities in the design and integration of platforms and systems at the highest levels.”
The ATOS system manages the aircraft’s onboard sensors, consolidating the gathered information and presenting a continuously updated tactical picture to the mission system operators.
The ATR-based Special Mission aircraft have demonstrated their ability to meet various customer requirements across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with several local operators of the ATR regional turboprop benefiting from extended logistics support.
