Last flight of the Italian Breguet Atlantic MPA | World Defense

Last flight of the Italian Breguet Atlantic MPA

Khafee

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The Italian BR-1150 Atlantic Has Completed Its Last Flight Ending An Impressive 45-year Career
Nov 24 2017
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The Italian Air Force bid farewell to the Breguet Atlantic. And Here Are Some Of The Most Significant Moments Of Its 45-year Career.
By David Cenciotti

On Nov. 22, 2017, the Italian Air Force retired its last BR-1150 Atlantic with a final flight from Sigonella to Pratica di Mare.

The aircraft MM40118/41-03, the Atlantic in special color scheme that had been unveiled during a ceremony held at Sigonella on Sept. 21, will now be transported and then exhibited in the ItAF Museum in Vigna di Valle. The first of 18 MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) with ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) capabilities Atlantic aircraft, the BR-1150 MM40108 was taken on charge by the Aeronautica Militare at Toulouse, France, on Jun. 27, 1972. On the very same day, after a stopever in Nimes, France, the aircraft landed at Sigonella, for the very fist time at 16.25LT. The retirement has come after 45 years and almost 260,000 flying hours (actually 258K) logged by a fleet made of 18 aircraft.

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The first Atlantic, MM400108/41-70, about to land for the first time at Sigonella at the end of its delivery flight on Jun. 27, 1972. (all images: ItAF)

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The Atlantic flies in formation with the Grumman S-2F Tracker, the aircraft it replaced, close to the Etna, in 1972.

Throughout its career, the Atlantic flown by mixed Air Force/Navy crew of 13 people in missions lasting up to 12 hours (actually the record of the Italian BR-1150 is 19 hours and 20 minutes!), carried out thousand Maritime Patrol, ASW and ASuW (Anti-Surface Warfare – limited to the reconnaissance and surveillance part since the aircraft was not equipped with ASuW weapons) sorties as well as Maritime SAR (Search And Rescue) operations taking part also in hundreds exercises: from Dawn Patrol back in 1973 to the recent Dynamic Manta, the BR-1150 have played a role in the Display Determination, Dog Fish, Vento Caldo, Daily Double, Mare Aperto, Tridente, Deterrent Force, Passex, Storm Two, Fleetex, Sharp Guard, Destined Glory, Tapoon and many more ones. The aircraft has flown to the North Pole in 1997, landed at all the major European airports, including Iceland, and reached India, Morocco, Canada, Egypt, Lebanon, UAE and the U.S.

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The aircraft was flown by a mixed Air Force/Navy crew of 13 people.


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A formation of BR-1150 aircraft in 1994.

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In 1997, the Italian Atlantic reached the North Pole.

Two units operated the type within the Italian Air Force (each being assigned 9 aircraft): the 41° Stormo (Wing), with its 88° Gruppo (Squadron) at Sigonella, and the 30° Stormo with its 86° Gruppo at Cagliari Elmas. The latter was disbanded on Aug. 1, 2002 with all the Breguet Atlantic aircraft (“P-1150A” in accordance with the current Italian Ministry of Defense Mission Design Series) taken on charge by the 41th Wing.

Although to a far lesser extent than the French Atlantique 2 (ATL2), that have been upgraded to extend their operative life beyond 2030 adding further capabilities, the Italian Atlantic fleet has undertaken a limited operational update between 1987 and 1997, as part of the ALCO (Aggiornamento Limitato Componente Operativa) programme, that has included, among the others and in different times, new INS (Intertial Navigation System), IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) system, along with new Iguane radar and ESM (Electronic Support Measures) sensors to perform electronic reconnaissance/surveillance systems as well as AIS (Automatic Identification System).


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An ItAF P-1150A during a maritime surveillance mission in 2010.

The Atlantic will be partially replaced by the P-72, a multirole Maritime Patrol, Electronic Surveillance and C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) aircraft that shares many sensors and equipments which were developed for the ATR 72ASW developed by Leonardo for the Turkish Navy. However, the Italian P-72A fleet, that will be made of four aircraft, the first of those delivered to the 41° Stormo on Nov. 25, 2016, lacks an ASW (Anti-Sub Warfare) capability and this is the reason why it is considered a “gap filler” until the budget to procure a Long Range MPA with ASW capabilities will become available.
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The Atlantic and the P-72 flew alongside during the very last flight of the Atlantic, from Sigonella to Pratica di Mare on Nov. 22, 2017.

Anyway, the P-72A, that has already debuted in real operations conducting intelligence gathering and electronic surveillance missions during the G7 meeting in Taormina, in May 2017, can undertake a variety of roles ranging from maritime patrol for the search and identification of surface vessels, SAR (search and rescue) missions, the prevention of narcotics trafficking, piracy, smuggling, territorial water security and monitoring and intervention in the event of environmental catastrophes. The P-72A is equipped with a communication suite that enables the aircraft to transmit or receive information in real-time to/from command and control centres either on the ground, in the air or at-sea, to ensure coordinated and effective operations. The aircraft is also equipped with a self-protection system. The aircraft is said to be able to fly missions lasting six and a half hours at ranges up to 200 nautical miles from its starting location.
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The very last take off from Sigonella on Nov. 22, 2017. The end of an era.

During 45 years and about 260,000 FH, the Italian Atlantic fleet suffered no losses.

The author wishes to thank 1°M. Carmelo Savoca of the 41° Stormo for providing information about the aircraft as well as the stunning official images you can find in this post


https://theaviationist.com/2017/11/24/the-italian-br-1150-atlantic-has-completed-its-last-flight-ending-an-impressive-45-year-career/
 

Khafee

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The Italian Air Force Bids Farewell To The Breguet BR-1150 Atlantic MPA (With A Special Color Aircraft), Welcomes The New Leonardo P-72A
Sep 21 2017
By David Cenciotti
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The BR-1150 Atlantic is about to be retired and (partially) replaced by the Leonardo P-72A.

With a ceremony held at Sigonella airbase and attended by the Italian Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Enzo Vecciarelli, and Italian Navy Chief of Staff, Adm. Valter Girardelli, the 41° Stormo (Wing) of the ItAF bid farewell to the Breguet BR-1150 (P-1150A in accordance with the Italian Mission Design Series) Atlantic, a Maritime Patrol Aircraft with ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) capabilities that is about to be retired after 45 years of service and more than 250,000 flight hours.

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BR-1150 MM40115/41-77 and P-72A MM62298/41-03 during the ceremony at Sigonella on Sept. 21, 2017.

The Atlantic, that operates a mixed Air Force/Navy crew of 13 people in missions lasting up to 12 hours (actually the record of the Italian BR-1150 is 19 hours and 20 minutes!), will continue to fly through November, even though its final operational flight is planned for October. Since the beginning of its service, the Italian Atlantic aircraft have carried out Maritime Patrol and ASW missions, Maritime SAR (Search And Rescue) support and have taken part in hundreds exercises: from Dawn Patrol back in 1973 to the recent Dynamic Manta, the BR-1150 have played a role in the Display Determination, Dog Fish, Vento Caldo, Daily Double, Mare Aperto, Tridente, Deterrent Force, Passex, Storm Two, Fleetex, Sharp Guard, Destined Glory, Tapoon and many more ones. The aircraft has flown to the North Pole in 1997, landed at all the major European airports, including Iceland, and reached India, Morocco, Canada, Egypt, Lebanon, UAE and the U.S.

Last year, the aircraft has also supported the very first F-35’s transatlantic flight taking off from Sigonella on Sept. 20, 2016 and landing at Portsmouth, U.S., after 8,000 miles and more than 30 flight hours.

During the ceremony at Sigonella, the 88° Gruppo (Squadron) of the 41° Stormo unveiled the final Atlantic special color (MM40118/41-03).

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The final Atlantic special color (MM40118/41-03).

Since Nov. 25, 2016, the 41° Stormo has started transitioning to the new P-72A, a military variant of the ATR 72-600. The Italian Air Force has received the first two of four P-72A MPA ordered back in 2014; the delivery of the remaining two aircraft is planned by the end of the year.

The P-72A can undertake a variety of roles ranging from maritime patrol for the search and identification of surface vessels, SAR (search and rescue) missions, the prevention of narcotics trafficking, piracy, smuggling, territorial water security and monitoring and intervention in the event of environmental catastrophes. The P-72A is equipped with a communication suite that enables the aircraft to transmit or receive information in real-time to/from command and control centres either on the ground, in the air or at-sea, to ensure coordinated and effective operations. The aircraft is also equipped with a self-protection system. The aircraft is said to be able to fly missions lasting six and a half hours at ranges up to 200 nautical miles from its starting location.

Although it is a multirole Maritime Patrol, Electronic Surveillance and C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) aircraft that shares many sensors and equipments which were developed for the ATR 72ASW developed by Leonardo for the Turkish Navy, the P-72A lacks an ASW (Anti-Sub Warfare) capability: for this reason it is considered a “gap filler” until the budget to procure a Long Range MPA with ASW capabilities will become available.

Meanwhile, the P-72A has already started flying operational sorties, as happened during the G7 meeting in Taormina, in May 2017, when the two brand new MPA of the 41° Stormo were used to perform intelligence gathering and electronic surveillance missions.


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One of the two brand new Leonardo P-72A MPA of the 41° Stormo.

All photos: Author

https://theaviationist.com/2017/09/...lor-aircraft-welcomes-the-new-leonardo-p-72a/
 

Khafee

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Four ATR72MP to replace the ageing Italian fleet of Br.1150 Atlantic
Dec 22, 2008 -
By David Cenciotti

On Dec. 22, a press release from Alenia Aeronautica announced the agreement reached by the Finmeccanica company and the Direzione Generale Armamenti Aeronautici (General Management for Aeronautical Armaments) of the Defence Ministry, for the supply of 4 ATR72MP (Maritime Patrol) aircraft, medium-range, twin-engine turbine airplanes that will replace the Sigonella based Br.1150 Atlantic of the 41° Stormo.

The new aircraft, will be delivered to the Aeronautica Militare starting from 2012 and will be employed in maritime patrol missions.

Since the press release doesn’t mention it, the new version developed ad-hoc by Alenia for the ItAF (7 ATR42MPs are already in service with the Guardia di Finanza (Customs Police) and the Coast Guard), should be used only for surveillance, SAR (Search And Rescue) and anti-immigration purposes and will not carry antisom equipment.

According to the news issued by Alenia, the new aircraft, that will have a higher endurance, will be equipped with the SELEX Galileo ATOS mission system, which integrates the Seaspray, electronic-scan surveillance radar and the EOST (Electro-Optical multi-Sensor Turret), for the identification of boats and persons at sea in any weather condition; with RWR and passive countermeasures, ESM, and with last-generation datalink and communication systems for net-centric operations supporting Link 11, Link 16 and SICRAL.

Even if the ATR72MP is quite an improvement from the ATR42MP it is less capable (but also less expensive) than the ATR72 ASW order by Turkey; consequently, the Italian Air Force (and the Italian Navy, since crews on board Br.1150 are mixed), is about to loose the capability to protect maritime and commercial routes from submarine threats.

However it could also represent a sort of gap filler, a means for replacing the 18 ageing Atlantic (in service since 1972) until the budget will be available for a MMA (Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft), a platform that, ideally, should be the Boeing 737-based P-8A “Poseidon”, or alternatively, the same ATR72MP upgraded to the ASW version with antisom capabilities.

https://theaviationist.com/2008/12/...-the-ageing-italian-fleet-of-br1150-atlantic/
 

Khafee

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LEONARDO DELIVERS FIRST TWO P-72AS TO THE ITALIAN AIR FORCE; THE FUTURE GUARDIAN OF THE MEDITERRANEAN IS READY
Rome 13/12/2016

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  • Moretti: security and environmental protection are vitally important to our Country
  • The ATR 72MP, designated P-72A by the Italian Air Force, represents the modern frontier in maritime patrol aircraft
  • The aircraft’s mission system is the last version of Leonardo’s Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance (ATOS)
  • The aircraft is fitted with Leonardo’s latest security and surveillance systems and it may also be used in the event of environmental catastrophes as well as for the prevention of narcotics trafficking, piracy and smuggling


Leonardo-Finmeccanica delivered the first two of a total four ATR 72MPs to the Italian Air Force. Designated P-72A by the Italian Air Force, the aircraft will replace the Air Force’s obsolete Breguet Atlantic.

Mauro Moretti, Leonardo’s Chief Executive Officer and General Manager said: “Security and environmental protection are both vitally important to our Country’s economy. As well as international trade passing through our coastal territory, we need to remain vigilant to illegal trafficking and migration flows. Therefore, in order to protect our economic strength and national security we have provided the ATR 72MP, which comes equipped with Leonardo’s latest security and surveillance systems.”

The latest version of the contract, signed in 2014, envisages the delivery of logistic support services, in addition to the supply of four ATR 72MP platforms, which will be completed by 2017.

The aircraft, developed and produced by Leonardo using the ATR 72-600 turboprop as a base, can act in a number of roles including maritime patrol for the search and identification of surface vessels, SAR (search and rescue) missions, the prevention of narcotics trafficking, piracy, smuggling, territorial water security and monitoring and intervention in the event of environmental catastrophes.

The ATR 72MPs will be provided with the latest communication systems, able to transmit or receive information in real time to/from command and control centres either on the ground, in the air or at-sea, to ensure coordinated and effective operations. The aircraft will also be equipped with a self-protection system, fully integrated with the ATR 7MP’s mission system and avionics. The aircraft will be able to fly missions lasting six and a half hours at ranges up to 200 nautical miles from its starting location.

http://www.leonardocompany.com/en/-/aeronautica-militare-p72-italian-air-force

Note:
The ATR 72MP is a multirole Maritime Patrol, Electronic Surveillance and C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) aircraft, available at a very affordable price.

Main Roles
The ATR 72MP’s primary roles are: maritime patrol to search and identify surface vessels, command and control of other war-fighting assets in tactical scenarios, ELINT (ELectronic INTelligence, search and rescue (SAR), prevention of piracy, smuggling and narcotic trafficking and territorial water security. It can also carry personnel. The MP (maritime patrol) version shares many solutions which were developed for the ATR 72ASW developed by Leonardo for the Turkish Navy. With the MP, the systems specifically designed for Anti-Submarine Warfare have been replaced by a complete C4I systems suite incorporating multidatalink fully integrating Link 16 and
Link11, Satcom Ku/Ka, VORTEX, VMF and Radar Classifier, in addition to ESM ELINT (Electronic Surveillance Measures – ELectronic INTelligence) capabilities.

The Leonardo ATOS mission system
The aircraft’s mission system, provided with four operator stations with high-definition 22” monitors and touch-screen control panels, is the last version of Leonardo’s Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance (ATOS) mission system. The aircraft has been designed with provisions to allow for future integration of additional sensors and components, which are mission-specific for Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) missions. The ATOS mission system is fully integrated with a militarized ATR-600 Glass Cockpit, (including, amongst other military functionalities, one TACAN, two SAASM VI INS/GPS and one IFF TX) and a radio management system that permits that 4 V/UHF and 2 HF Radios can be used and controlled by the mission system operators and also from the cockpit.

The mission system integrates three main sensors, the Star Safire HD electro-optical turret; the Leonardo Airborne and Space Systems’ Seaspray 7300 electronically-scanned array (AESA) surveillance radar and a self-protection suite based on Elettronica’s ELT800V2 ESM, providing the ATOS mission system with the capability to fully manage the tactical scenario with Radio Frequency tracks and enabling ELINT mission tasks.

Self-protection capabilities
The Self-Protection System suite, derived from the one that equips the C-27J Spartan battlefield airlifter, includes chaff & flare dispensers (CFD), missile and laser warning systems (MWS and LWS)) and a new RWR/ESM with ELINT and geolocalisation capabilities. The suite is integrated by a new DASS Management Computer and can be operated from the cockpit via a dedicated DASS display unit and DASS control panel. The configuration of the aircraft’s avionic systems also includes an Automatic Identification System (AIS), a C-SAR ASARS system, radio and satellite secure communications crypto devices, a V/UHF SICRAL satellite radio. The ATR 72MP system fully meets the most stringent requirements for hardware and software security
 

I.R.A

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The aircraft is also equipped with a self-protection system.

I Was going to ask you about this system when I read this at the end.

The Self-Protection System suite, derived from the one that equips the C-27J Spartan battlefield airlifter, includes chaff & flare dispensers (CFD), missile and laser warning systems (MWS and LWS)) and a new RWR/ESM with ELINT and geolocalisation capabilities. The suite is integrated by a new DASS Management Computer and can be operated from the cockpit via a dedicated DASS display unit and DASS control panel. The configuration of the aircraft’s avionic systems also includes an Automatic Identification System (AIS), a C-SAR ASARS system, radio and satellite secure communications crypto devices, a V/UHF SICRAL satellite radio. The ATR 72MP system fully meets the most stringent requirements for hardware and software security

Couldn't understand all the technical terms and equipment, but what I can figure out is that this AC lacks capability to attack in very dire situation? Like it cannot defend itself against an attacker by launching missiles etc?
 

Khafee

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Couldn't understand all the technical terms and equipment, but what I can figure out is that this AC lacks capability to attack in very dire situation? Like it cannot defend itself against an attacker by launching missiles etc?
Yes, only passive defensive systems, no offensive capabilities.
 

Atalay

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Yes, only passive defensive systems, no offensive capabilities.

Same like Turkish Meltem III

The ATR 72ASW is equipped with a mission system that includes:
• electro-optical sensors;
• Search radar;
• ESM sensor (Electronic Support Measures);
• MAD sensor (Magnetic Anomaly Detector);
• Integrated self-protection system, (Chaff & Flare Dispenser, Radar Warning, Missile Warning, Laser Warning);
• Sonobuoy launcher;
• Anti-submarine torpedoes carried on 2 pylons at the fuselage sides.

http://www.navyrecognition.com/inde...me-patrol-aircraft-conducts-first-flight.html
 
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