French Navy takes into service upgraded ATL 2 aircraft
Upgraded ATL 2 Standard 6
Over the past few years, the naval forces of France and aviation the country's industry is engaged in the modernization of Atlantique 2 patrol aircraft. A Standard 6 upgrade project has been developed, according to which several aircraft have already been rebuilt. The updated equipment passed all the necessary tests and the stage of trial operation, and a few days ago it was officially accepted into service.
Technical evolution
In 1963, the French Navy issued an order to the international consortium SEBCAT for the production of 40 new basic patrol aircraft Bréguet 1150 Atlantic. The execution of this order took only a few years, and this made it possible to cover all the needs of the French fleet and replace obsolete aircraft. In addition, SEBCAT has received several orders from other countries.
In 1978, the French Ministry of Defense ordered the modernization of the existing aircraft under the name Atlantic Nouvelle Génération. This project provided for a minor update of the air platform while a radical restructuring of the complex of search equipment and weapons. In the first half of the eighties, the upgraded prototypes were tested, and in the middle of the decade, the updated aircraft was put into service under the designation Atlantique 2.
In the future, the existing aircraft regularly underwent medium and major repairs, and also received various updates of one scale or another. By the beginning of the 22s, there were 5 aircraft in service, divided between two squadrons. The equipment corresponded to the latest Standard XNUMX modification at that time.
Third Standard 6 aircraft
In 2012, a new modernization program was launched. It provided for the overhaul of existing aircraft with the restoration of the technical condition and the extension of the service life. Such repairs were supposed to ensure the operation of equipment over the next 15-20 years. In addition, a reserve was created for the future replacement of target equipment, also aimed at increasing performance and extending service life.
For a number of reasons, only 2012 aircraft out of 18 available underwent repairs under the 22 program. The rest were put into reserve, and are still in storage. The repaired Atlantic-2s received a new abbreviated designation ATL 2. Subsequently, the number of the fleet decreased again. Now only 12 aircraft are in active operation, and the number of equipment in storage has increased to 10 units.
"Standard-6"
Already in 2013, the development of the next modernization project, which received the designation Standard 6, began. Its goal was again to improve the performance and performance of aircraft. In addition, it was planned to extend the possible operating life until 2030-35. The upgrade package was supposed to receive 18 aircraft undergoing overhaul.
Dassault Aviation was appointed as the lead developer and executor of the new project. Thales, Naval Group, SIAé, etc. have become suppliers of individual components and systems. It took several years to develop the project. The restructuring of aircraft was to begin in the second half of the decade and be completed in the mid-twenties.
Upgraded ATL [/center]
The contractors coped with the tasks and meet the deadlines. The first two ATL 2 Standard 6s were handed over to the customer for trial operation in October 2019. In April 2020, they were followed by a third aircraft. In the future, work reached the required pace, and the fleet regularly returned updated equipment. In the summer of 2022, the eighth and ninth sides were handed over - the modernization project overcame the "equator".
The aircraft transferred to the Navy underwent the necessary tests, and in addition, several times participated in full-fledged exercises. During such events, all the calculated characteristics were confirmed and all new possibilities were demonstrated. The upgraded aircraft received a recommendation for acceptance into full-fledged operation.
The corresponding order was signed on November 10 by Admiral Pierre Vandieu, Chief of Staff of the French Navy. Nine modernized Atlantic-2 aircraft are returning to service and once again becoming full-fledged combat units in the naval aviation.
The current order provides for the renewal of 18 aircraft, and its implementation continues. According to current plans, in the coming months, the Navy will receive the tenth and eleventh aircraft, and the latter will be handed over by 2024-25. After that, the entire active ATL 2 fleet will comply with the current Standard 6 project and will be able to continue service until the mid-thirties.
Ways of modernization
The ATL 2 Standard 6 project provides for the preservation of the existing air platform. Despite its considerable age, several successive upgrades have made it possible to maintain its characteristics at the required level.
The aircraft was built according to the normal aerodynamic configuration with a low wing. With a length of more than 31 m and a wingspan of 37 m, it has a take-off weight of at least 45 tons. Two turboprop engines in wing nacelles allow it to reach a maximum speed of 650 km / h or conduct patrols at 315 km / h. In the latter case, the duration of the flight reaches 16-18 hours.
The main innovation of the Standard-6 project is the modern Thales Searchmaster airborne radar with AFAR in a fairing under the fuselage. Such a station is capable of detecting air and surface targets at ranges of at least 200 nautical miles, as well as tracking a large number of objects.
A modern optoelectronic station Wescam MX-20 was introduced. A movable spherical block with day, night and rangefinding channels is suspended under the central part of the fuselage, behind the cargo compartment. Depending on weather conditions and visibility, the observation range can be tens of kilometers.
Atlantique 2 Standard 5 flight deck
ATL 2 Standard 6 still carries and uses sonar buoys. At the same time, a new system for managing and collecting data from such funds has been developed. It has improved characteristics and allows the use of a wider range of buoys, incl. foreign-designed products.
The aircraft received a new information and control system LOTI-NG (Logiciel de Treatment de l'Information Operationelle Nouvelle Génération). With its help, information is collected and processed from on-board surveillance systems with subsequent transmission to the headquarters or other consumers.
The upgraded aircraft can independently attack the detected targets. In the cargo compartment on the bottom of the fuselage there are holders for hanging two Exoset anti-ship missiles and six MU90 light anti-submarine torpedoes.
The crew of the modernized aircraft, as before the upgrade, includes 14 people. Four of them fly the aircraft, the rest make up the tactical crew and use the target equipment. At the same time, new workstations, ICS, etc. reduce operator workload and/or increase productivity.
Cabin from Standard 6 project
As a result of the latest upgrade, Atlantique 2 aircraft retain all the previous capabilities, and also receive some new features. Thus, due to the new radar, the range of observation of the airspace and the sea, the number of tracked targets and other parameters have been increased. There are also several optical observation channels. Modernization of hydroacoustic systems expands the ability to search for submarines.
Having found a particular target, the patrol aircraft issues target designation to other combat units - ships of the fleet or naval aviation. The issuance of data is maximally accelerated, which simplifies the timely response to a threat. Also retained the ability to self-destruct surface ships or submarines. For such tasks, the most modern weapons of their classes are used.
With my own strength
Thus, France is successfully solving the issue of updating the patrol aviation of the Navy and is demonstrating some success. To date, the new modernization project has rebuilt half of the planned number of ATL 2, and work in this direction continues. Over the next few years, a fleet of 18 updated aircraft will be formed, and it will have to serve for another 10-12 years.
It is noteworthy that the French Navy is modernizing existing patrol aircraft and is in no hurry to start developing a completely new machine. In addition, they do not plan to purchase foreign equipment of this class and manage only on their own. As recent events show, such approaches fully justify themselves and make it possible to successfully solve all the tasks set for updating patrol aviation.
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