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PAKISTAN NAVY ATR-72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft Arrives At Mönchengladbach For Conversion To RAS-72-500 Sea Eagle:
PAKISTAN NAVY ATR-72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft arrived at Mönchengladbach, Germany for major conversion to RAS-72-500 Sea Eagle Aircraft. The PAKISTAN NAVY ATR-72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft arrived in Monchengladbach at 10-15am in the morning after departed from Mehran Air Base Karachi two days ago.
PAKISTAN NAVY has sent its state of the art ATR-72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft to be converted into a RAS-72-500 Sea Eagle Maritime and Patrol Aircraft by Germany-based Rheinland Air Service (RAS).
It is worth mentioning that this is the newly acquired ATR-72 MPA aircraft and PAKISTAN NAVY inducted in back in 4th January, 2020 along with the LUNA NG Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Reportedly, PAKISTAN inducted the 2 numbers of new ATR-72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft and undisclosed numbers of LUNA NG Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in its arsenal.
The ATR-72 Marinized Patrol Aircraft (MPA) of PAKISTAN NAVY is equipped with the long range Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, broadband Satellite Broadband Communication System, Sonobuoy Launching System (SLL), EO/IR Electro-Optic/Infrared Sensors to deliver ground, aerial and maritime surveillance.
The ATR-72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft of PAKISTAN NAVY also features the hard point to equip dual-weapons on the aircraft. The distinctive feature of the PAKISTAN NAVY ATR-72-500 Maritime Patrol Aircraft is that it is also equipped with the Maritime Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare Capability.
For Anti-Submarine Warfare, the ATR-72-500 Maritime Patrol Aircraft is equipped with the AeroMission or Aerodata Mission Management System.
ALHAMDULLILLAH, PAKISTAN NAVY ATR-72 MPA arrived in Germany for conversion to Sea Eagle Variant ??✈️??
LONG LIVE PAKISTAN Deutsche Freundschaft ?? ??https://t.co/QLXNR9NIfAhttps://t.co/6ahZuPAvjBhttps://t.co/NdYiuWNUNZ@PakistanNavy @pakairforcepk#DGISPR#Germany pic.twitter.com/zBtWyzeyFc
— PAKDEFENSE.OFFICIAL (@PAKDEFENSE_COM) June 30, 2020
Spokesperson for Rheinland Air Service (RAS) said, “The RAS 72 multirole aircraft offers unrivalled efficiency as well as operational flexibility not only for anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol missions, but also for search and rescue and other humanitarian operations.”
In addition to the MPA configuration, RAS can offer the ATR 72 with a complete range of interior configurations, from pure passenger cabin and troop transport to complex customization required for VIP guests as well as a variety of cargo options,” RAS spokesperson further added in the statement.
The ATR-72-500 Maritime Patrol Aircraft of PAKISTAN NAVY are operated by the 29 Squadron, which specializes in Anti-Submarine, Electronic and Information Warfare (ASW/EW/IW). The 29 Squadron of PAKISTAN NAVY is based at Mehran Air Base Karachi.
It is worth mentioning that PAKISTAN NAVY has awarded the contract to Germany-based Rheinlad Air Service (RAS) to convert to ATR-72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft, bearing serial numbers 78 and 79, for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW).
Now, the serial number callsign PN77 arrived at Germany, which clearly implies that the PAKISTAN NAVY Aircraft with serial number PN76 has not yet converted to the RAS-72-500 Sea Eagle.
The PAKISTAN NAVY Maritime Patrol Aircraft with callsign PN77 would be third consecutive aircraft, which will be converted by Rheinland Air Service (RAS) to the Sea Eagle variant. Earlier, PAKISTAN NAVY converted its ATR-72 MPA Aircraft bearing serial number 78 and 79.
It is expected that the fourth ATR-72 MPA Aircraft of PAKISTAN NAVY might be converted in the near future or after the PN77.
Top Defense Analysts believed that more PAKISTAN NAVY might induct more ATR-72-500 Aircraft in the future as well.
