Turkey receives first maritime surveillance aircraft from Thales

Thales has successfully delivered the first of three maritime surveillance aircraft to the Turkish Coast Guard, at the Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI) facility in Ankara, Turkey.

The delivery follows a previously awarded contract to supply three maritime surveillance aircraft for the Turkish Coast Guard as well as six maritime patrol aircraft for the Turkish Navy, all based on modified CASA CN-235 aircraft, under the Meltem II programme.

The programme also includes options to procure additional maritime patrol systems to the Turkish Navy, to be integrated on ATR 72 aircraft.

Integrated with Thales’s Airborne Maritime Situation & Control System solution (AMASCOS), the new aircraft provides enhanced capability to better monitor the Turkish exclusive economic zone and territorial waters.

The maritime surveillance aircraft will be used to support a range of missions including surface surveillance and naval control, anti-drug and other types of smuggling operations, the prevention of illegal immigration and illicit fishing.

The enhanced evidence collection capabilities will enable the aircraft to support maritime pollution surveillance as well as search and rescue operations.

The company had already delivered four maritime patrol aircraft to the Turkish Navy during the first quarter of 2012.

The Turkish Coast Guard will operate the new aircraft from Izmir Air Base, to perform surveillance missions to 120 miles from the coast.