Leonardo: ATR 42/72 MP successfully completes paratrooper jump demonstration

Rome 06 September 2019 17:18

The demonstration confirmed the suitability of the ATR 42/72 MP aircraft to carry out paratrooper jump missions

The ATR 42/72 MP multi-mission aircraft, characterized by low operating costs and high reliability of the market leader civil turboprop, adds a new capability to its current range of missions including patrol, search and rescue, passenger and cargo transport, medevac and troop transport

Leonardo has recently carried out an experimental air activity demonstrating the ATR MP aircraft suitability to deploy paratrooper jump missions, using a door installed at the rear of the cabin.

The trials, carried out successfully at the end of July, included launching paratroopers and dummies plus demonstrating the effectiveness of recovery procedures during an emergency.

With this trial, the ATR MP confirms its versatility. The aircraft has already been chosen by many customers as it can be quickly reconfigured to carry out significantly different missions, while keeping the low operating costs and high reliability, which originate from the civil market-leading turboprop platform model ATR 42/72-600.

The ATR MP is equipped with the most modern mission, communication and sensor systems, which allows it to acquire, process and transmit or receive information in real time from command and control centers on the ground, in the air or at sea, in order to ensure the coordination and effectiveness of the operations.

The heart of the mission suite is Leonardo's ATOS system (Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance) that manages the vast range of sensors that the aircraft is equipped with, combines the information gathered and presents an overall tactical situation (data fusion) providing excellent situational awareness to the operators (the ATR 72 MP can board up to 4 latest generation stations).

The aircraft, which carry out missions up to 10 hours, can also be equipped with a self-protection system, fully integrated with the mission system and basic avionics.

The ATR MP is operated, in its many configurations, by the Guardia di Finanza, the Italian Coast Guard and the Italian Air Force, for maritime patrol, search and identification of surface ships, SAR (search and rescue), monitoring and intervention of ecological disasters, protection of territorial waters, as well as the prevention of drug trafficking, piracy, and smuggling. The ATR MP is also operated by several foreign customers.