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Induction ceremony of ATR-77 held at Karachi - 29 Sep 2022 | ISPR

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Induction ceremony of ATR-77 and roll out ceremony of upgraded ATR-79 was held at Karachi. Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza graced the occasion as Chief Guest. These newly inducted and upgraded aircrafts are equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors which will provide operational flexibility to PN Fleet.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee highlighted the importance of developing geo-strategic environment in Indian Ocean Region and emphasized the need to have potent naval forces in order to counter emerging challenges. The Chief Guest underlined the importance of strong maritime defence for Pakistan and reiterated that induction of modern aircrafts will enhance Pakistan Navy’s capability of safeguarding our maritime frontiers.

Earlier, while addressing at the ceremony, Commander Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami highlighted that Pakistan Navy is maintaining perpetual readiness through forward deployments in order to deter and give befitting response to any nefarious designs of adversary. The ceremony was attended by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi and serving/ retired officers from Tri-Services.
 
what is the difference between upgraded and roll out? is it that one of them is MPA upgraded and others just updated locally with MPA stuff?

How many RAS-72 PN has so far operational?
 
"Pakistan Navy has officially inducted 4th RAS ATR-72 Sea Eagle MPA RAS-72 Sea Eagle is a modern turboprop Maritime Patrol Aircraft intended for maritime intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance (ISTAR), Anti-Submarine(ASW) & Anti Surface Warfare(ASW)"

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Pakistan Navy and ATR 72/500 Maritime Patrol Aircraft As of April 2020, the Pakistan Navy has two ATR 72/500 (ATR-72- 212A) Maritime Patrol Aircraft with tail numbers 78 and 79, respectively. The planes, known as the ‘RAS 72 Sea Eagle’, had previously been in service with the PN as utility/transport aircraft.

These two planes were converted into Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) with ASW capabilities under an agreement signed in early 2015 with the Rheinland Air Service (RAS), Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) company located in Mönchengladbach, Germany.

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The first plane (tail number 79) was delivered in June 2018, while the second plane (tail number 78) was transferred to the Pakistan Navy in June 2019. Following the completion of the acceptance tests conducted after their transfer by RAS, the first (tail number 79) and the second (tail number 78) RAS 72 Sea Eagle MPAs re-entered service with the PN with official ceremonies held at Naval Air Station PNS Mehran in Karachi on December 12, 2018, and on January 4, 2020, respectively.


At the ceremony held on January 4, 2020, another ATR72 Aircraft (tail number 76) in the transport/ airdrop configuration entered the Pakistan Navy service. While the structural modification activities carried out for the conversion of the first aircraft into the Maritime Patrol Aircraft took 15 months, the work on the second aircraft was completed in 12 months.

Rheinland Air Service (RAS) introduced Pakistan Navy (PN)’s second ATR72/500 (tail number 78) Multirole Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) with ASW capabilities to the public at the 2019 Paris Air Show. The first ATR-72/500 Aircraft (tail number 79) was exhibited with another ATR-72 aircraft (tail number 77) in utility configuration during the ceremony, held on the last day of the AMAN-19 Multinational Maritime Exercise held in Karachi on February 8-12, 2019.


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According to an RAS official, whom we had the opportunity to meet with during the 2019 Paris Air Show held June 17-23, the Pakistan Naval Air Arm performed over 300 missions that accumulated 500+ flight hours with the first aircraft. He also pointed out that the Pakistan Navy has the intention to convert three more ATR-72s into MPA configuration, but it depends on budget allocations.

At the Pakistan Navy’s request, the P127F engines of the PN RAS 72 Sea Eagle MPAs, which features a semi glass cockpit, were upgraded to the P127M engines (2.750shp) used in ATR72/600 Aircraft. The MPAs are fitted with the Aerodata AG Company product AeroMission Mission Management Systems (MMS). The system has four Operator Consoles placed side by side in tandem configuration inside the cabin.

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Thanks to its sensor fusion algorithms, the AeroMission MMS can process the data from the aircraft’s sensors during the flight and transfer it to the relevant Ground Control Station (GCS) in real-time through modern communication systems on the plane. According to an RAS official, the operator consoles onboard the RAS 72 Sea Egle MPA can be pulled out from the cabin within 2 hours thanks to their modular concept.


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The RAS 72 Sea Eagle Multirole MPAs are equipped with the Leonardo Seaspray 7300E Active ElectronicallyScanned Array (AESA) radar, Elettronica ESM/ ELINT suite, FLIR Systems Star SAFIRE III high definition electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) turret, an Acoustic Processing Sys t e m , S o n o b u oy Launching System, Chaff and Flare Dispensing System, Ku-Bant satellite communications (SatCom) system, AIS transponder, Direction Finder, IFF, and PN specific indigenous data-link system (Link Green).

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The planes are not equipped with a Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) system, and they can fly for more than 9 hours at maximum fuel capacity. The platform also features two weapon pylons for Italian A244/S Mod 3 lightweight ASW t o r p e d o e s (a ro u n d 265kg), enabling antisubmarine warfare (ASW) and maritime patrol capabilities.
According to customer request, a total of four external pylons, (two in the front and two in the back) can be installed on the aircraft. In addition to light torpedoes (Such as Mk46 or A244/S), the front pylons can carry air-launched Anti-Ship Guided Missiles, which ignites their engines in mid-air after they are released from the pylon (such as the Penguin Mk2).


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The Seaspray 7500E V2 multi-mode radar combines an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) with a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) processor. Seaspray 7500E V2 provides unparalleled surveillance using a variety of advanced modes, enhancing the platform’s ability to detect even the smaller targets.


Star SAFIRE Family - Model II - Gyro-Stabilized EO/IR systems​

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Multi-Mission, AWR Certified Imaging Solution for HH-60 and UH-60 Blackhawk Variants. The world standard in 320x240 InSb thermal imaging, Star SAFIRE II can carry up to five separate payloads: long-range thermal imager, low-light TV, ultra long-range spotter scope, laser rangefinder and laser illuminator. Fully AWR-certified for use on US Army UH- & HH-60 A and L model Blackhawks, the Star SAFIRE II is combat-proven, reliable and ready.


 
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Induction ceremony of ATR-77 and roll out ceremony of upgraded ATR-79 was held at Karachi. Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza graced the occasion as Chief Guest. These newly inducted and upgraded aircrafts are equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors which will provide operational flexibility to PN Fleet.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee highlighted the importance of developing geo-strategic environment in Indian Ocean Region and emphasized the need to have potent naval forces in order to counter emerging challenges. The Chief Guest underlined the importance of strong maritime defence for Pakistan and reiterated that induction of modern aircrafts will enhance Pakistan Navy’s capability of safeguarding our maritime frontiers.

Earlier, while addressing at the ceremony, Commander Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami highlighted that Pakistan Navy is maintaining perpetual readiness through forward deployments in order to deter and give befitting response to any nefarious designs of adversary. The ceremony was attended by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi and serving/ retired officers from Tri-Services.
According to manufacturer PN aircraft equipped with SeaSpray 7300 AESA radar with 360 degree coverage. Googled up and found range of Seaspray 7000 to be 200NM/370KM, 7300 model would have upspeced capability. This is AWACs level coverage and with the ELINT systems if adversary sensors are active it can detect them at longer range. This will be a considerable upgrade from P-3Cs. Max endurance on these aircraft is 9hrs which is less than P-3C 12-18hrs, but since will be patrolling nearby shores that is more than enough.

Lacks MAD (Magnetic anomaly detector) something which P-3C has. P-8s don't have MAD either but US did it deliberately as the low flying for MAD adds stress to airframe and it is expected to get that capability in future via MAD equipped UAVs datalinked to the aircraft.
 
MADs to my understanding are not as relevant as they once were and the acoustic sensor suites on modern MPA are far more sensitive than the mads on aircraft like P-3.
 
MADs to my understanding are not as relevant as they once were and the acoustic sensor suites on modern MPA are far more sensitive than the mads on aircraft like P-3.

"Officials of the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) in Arlington, Va., announced an $8.9 million contract this week to the BAE Systems Electronic Systems segment in Merrimack, N.H., for the High Altitude ASW (HAASW) Unmanned Targeting Air System (UTAS) program for the Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol jet.

HAASW UTAS seeks to integrate a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) and algorithms for use on an air-launched drone that the P-8A will use to detect and pinpoint enemy submarines.

A MAD instrument detects minute variations in the Earth's magnetic field. A submerged submarine represents a mass of ferromagnetic material that creates a detectable disturbance in the Earth's magnetic field.

The Navy's predecessor to the P-8A -- the Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion four-engine turboprop aircraft -- has a MAD sensor attached to the back that looks like a large stinger that protrudes backward from the plane's tail.

The P-8A -- a maritime patrol version of the Boeing 737-800 single-aisle passenger jet -- was designed without the built-in MAD instrument largely because the P-8 is designed to operate primarily at high altitudes. The MAD sensor works best at low altitudes.

To compensate for the lack of a built-in MAD instrument, the P-8 will use an unmanned drone equipped with the HAASW UTAS MAD sensor and algorithms.

Although the P-8A is capable of low-altitude operations, it is designed primarily for use at relatively high altitudes to enable the aircraft to keep watch over large ocean areas and fly as fuel-efficiently as possible.

The plane is being designed not only with the HAASW UTAS to enable the aircraft to use a MAD instrument from high altitudes, but also with sonobuoys designed to launch from high altitudes and cover large areas of the ocean.

The P-8A also is being equipped with a flying torpedo called the High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC) Air Launch Accessory (ALA) that can be released from altitudes as high as 30,000 feet.

These high-altitude torpedoes are Navy Mark 54 lightweight torpedoes with add-n kits that enable the weapons to glide through the air to attack enemy submarines from long ranges and high altitudes.

Fixed-wing aircraft like the P-3 normally release conventional torpedoes from very low altitudes or with small parachutes to ease the torpedoes into the water gently.

The HAAWC ALA turns the Raytheon Mark 54 torpedo into a glide weapon. As the flying torpedo reaches the water, it jettisons wings and other air-control surfaces and takes on its original role as a smart torpedo that can detect, track, and attack enemy submarines autonomously.

The P-8A also is being designed to work together with the Northrop Grumman RQ-4N Triton Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) large UAV -- a maritime-patrol version of the Global Hawk long-range surveillance UAV.

One or more Triton UAVs can detect and track hostile submarines from high or low altitudes, and the P-8A can look for submerged submarines and launch torpedo attacks from high altitudes. The MAD instrument-equipped HAAWC ALA drone will add to the new P-8A's ASW capabilities."
 

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