CASA FITS Maritime Patrol Role

Asian Aerospace 2000 -- Spanish airframe builder CASA has been steadily increasing its activities in the development of mission systems for maritime aircraft, marketing VP Juan de Uriate reported at Asian Aerospace.

CASA systems of varying complexity are now aboard 50 maritime aircraft in service with 12 operators worldwide.

The evolution from relatively simple systems for C-212 maritime surveillance and pollution control aircraft for Sweden and Portugal, through to a more advanced system used by the Irish Air Corps aboard its CN-235s Persuaders, has culminated in the Fully Integrated Tactical System, an advanced mission system initially destined for Spain's fleet of aging Lockheed P-3 Orion maritime patrollers. FITS can also be installed in a wide variety of smaller aircraft, such as CASA's own CN-235 and C-295, Uriate said.

Initially disclosed at Paris last year, the $113 million, five-year FITS program is fully funded by the Spanish Ministry of Defense. Delivery of the first system is slated for the early months of 2002.

Uriate also announced that CASA is offering comprehensive modernization programs for C-130 Hercules transports, including the installation of Sextant's Topdeck "glass" cockpit and avionics suite.

By Bob Rodwell