😂🛫New Global 6500-based P-6 maritime patrol aircraftA new Global-based ASW aircraft has now emerged, and its creators believe that the PAL Aerospace P-6 MPA is the right aircraft “to address the next-gen MPA gap,” according to Keith Stoodley, the chief executive officer of PAL Aerospace. Abu Dhabi-based PAL is seeking a launch customer for its Global 6500-based P-6 maritime patrol aircraft, and it expects to find one ‘soon’. A number of local air forces are known to be looking to increase their MPA/ASW and maritime ISR capabilities in the face of growing surface and sub-surface maritime threats. Saudi Arabia has long been linked with a requirement for the P-8, for example, while the UAE could also be a candidate. With its Canadian heritage PAL Aerospace is believed to have been closely following the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) programme, which is aiming to find a replacement for Canada’s ageing fleet of CP-140 Auroras. The effect of Canada’s recent decision to submit a Letter of Request for up to 16 Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft via the US government’s Foreign Military Sales program remains to be seen.
The P-6 bears some similarity to the Global 6000-based Swordfish concept once offered by Saab, but PAL Aerospace hopes that the market may now be more ready to accept a twin-engined bizjet-based ASW aircraft.
Many elements of the P-6 concept remain undefined (as these will depend on customer requirements). Though PAL says that they are platform and systems agnostic, the aircraft is based on the Global 6500 and is being designed in partnership with Thales. PAL and Thales signed a strategic agreement for the development of the new mission management system software that will be used by the P-6 on 30 March 2022, and Thales radar and sonobuoys are expected to form the basis of the initial baseline configuration.
The aircraft will offer a 360 degree radar (which will not be the Ocean Master fitted to the company’s P-4 MPA, and which may be an AESA), an EO/IR sensor, a lightweight MAD as well as ESM and COMINT systems, radios, datalinks and satcomms. The aircraft is intended to go ‘in harm’s way’ and will therefore incorporate a sophisticated defensive aids sub-system including radar and IR warning receivers, chaff/flare dispensers and two Directional Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM) effector turrets which will together provide spherical (360 degree) coverage.
The P-6 will carry between two and six underwing stores stations and also incorporates an innovative ventral pannier, with the search radar (forward), then a box-like ‘flex bay’ and then a fairing containing the retractable EO/IR turret and mounting various antennas. The flex bay will be able to carry torpedoes, anti-ship missiles or SAR kits.
The aircraft is designed to accommodate between three and eight operator workstations, (though company CGI images show five workstations) with two visual observation stations further forward. The operator stations will leverage the company’s work on the Q400-based P-4 MPA, now in service with the UAE Air Force and Air Defence. This commonality promises to allow crews to be cross-trained on both types. This is significant, says CEO Keith Stoodley, because: “we view the P-4 and P-6 as complementary products. The P-4 has been designed as a littoral ASW asset whereas the P-6 is designed as a blue-ocean ASW asset.”
PAL’s Keith Stoodley states: “The P-6 MPA brings next-gen technology and regional expertise to the table, providing nations with a highly adaptable and advanced blue-water maritime patrol solution.” It will be interesting to see whether this eminently sensible ASW solution finds a market, and whether it – and aircraft like it – end up plugging the looming jet MPA gap.
https://www.asianmilitaryreview.com/2023/12/filling-the-mpa-ga/