Airbus Military with prime contractor EADS North America have delivered to the US Coast Guard its 12th HC-144A Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft, four months ahead of the contract delivery date.
The aircraft arrived Aug. 3 at Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center Elizabeth City, N.C., and will next pass to the Coast Guard's Aviation Training Center in Mobile, Ala., to begin operational patrols. The aircraft is expected to transfer to Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Mass., when that facility transitions to the HC-144A from the aging HU-25 "Guardian."
The HC-144A is based on the highly successful Airbus Military CN235 tactical airlifter, more than 250 of which are operated by 26 countries. The Ocean Sentry plays a crucial role in Coast Guard aviation missions that include maritime patrol, intelligence/surveillance/reconnaissance, cargo and personnel transport, and disaster relief.
The latest Ocean Sentry delivery is the first under a $117 million contract that calls for the 13th and 14th aircraft to deliver in 2012, with options for up to six additional aircraft. The Coast Guard has said it expects to exercise the contract option for what will be its 15th HC-144A no later than September of this year. Coast Guard plans call for acquiring a total of 36 HC-144As.
The turboprop HC-144A can remain airborne for more than nine hours, compared to just four hours for the legacy HU-25 jet that it is replacing. This high endurance allows aircrews to stay on station longer during search and rescue, patrol or persistent surveillance operations.
Airbus Military and EADS North America deliver the HC-144A equipped with a search radar, electro-optical and infrared cameras, an Automatic Identification System for data collection from vessels at sea, and a communications suite.
The Ocean Sentry's rear cargo ramp enables easy loading/unloading of the Coast Guard's palletized mission system. During airlift, cargo, and MEDEVAC missions, the mission system is removed, freeing up the aircraft's large cabin for additional transport capacity. The rear ramp also can be opened in flight to deploy search-and-rescue equipment.
The HC-144A achieved initial operational capability in 2008, and has since distinguished itself with exceptional performance in a variety of high-profile missions, including the Coast Guard's responses to the Haiti earthquake and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.
Source: Aibus Military
Clavister CyberArmour, an integrated defence cybersecurity system, will be used on BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 platform in deployments with a Scandinavian country, as well as in an eastern European nation.
The tactical satellite (TacSat) is an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) system and will participate in exercises in 2025.
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
DARPA’s Mission-Integrated Network Control (MINC) programme was set up to develop an autonomous tactical network and enable critical data flow in contested environments.
Why space is an essential part of modern military capabilities
Defence-secure mixed reality headsets can save hours, or even weeks, of travel time to fix defunct equipment or get subject experts effectively “on-site” where they are needed.
Connect with us on socials
