Maritime Patrollers Take Center Stage

Gracing the static display at the Singapore Airshow are two Boeing P-8 Poseidons, including an Australian example making its international public debut. Their appearance, plus prominent displays by competitors in the exhibition hall, has highlighted the growth in importance of “high-end” maritime patrol/anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region. With increasing maritime traffic, a growing submarine threat, and ever greater needs to conduct maritime surveillance, long-range ASW and maritime patrol aircraft (MPAs) are seen as vital assets by a number of nations.

Based on the Next-Generation 737 airliner, the P-8 has now been sold to four international customers: Australia, India, Norway and the United Kingdom. Boeing has hopes of selling further P-8s in the Asia-Pacific region, the natural candidates being current operators of the Lockheed Orion. New Zealand and South Korea are both in the frame, the former having received U.S. Congressional approval to receive up to four. “Any country that has P-3s has a need for the P-8,” asserted Boeing’s Matt Carreon, head of global sales for the Poseidon.

One P-3 operator that is unlikely to be buying P-8s is Japan, which has developed its own long-range maritime patroller in the form of the Kawasaki P-1. More than 60 of these four-engine aircraft are likely to be built for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. As part of Japan's relaxation of export controls, the type has been exhibited overseas at shows in the UK and France and is being promoted at the Singapore show.

Both P-1 and P-8 represent the more traditional large-aircraft approach to fulfilling high-end ASW/MPA requirements, but two companies that have followed a different path are IAI Elta and Saab—each of which is promoting full-spec ASW-capable MPAs based on the Bombardier Global 6000 business jet. This platform offers excellent range/speed performance and operating efficiencies, yet has sufficient internal capacity to accommodate the equipment and operators necessary to conduct anti-submarine missions. Moreover, both Global-based offerings can be armed with underwing torpedoes and anti-ship weapons to allow them to prosecute the targets they have detected and tracked.

IAI Elta’s ELI-3360 MPA proposal was initially based on the Global 5000, but a switch was made to the 6000 to provide more onboard stowage for sonobuoys. In the Saab Swordfish an innovative gravity-drop system allows double the number of buoys to be carried, compared with a traditional ejector system. Both offerings have five operator consoles, AESA search radar, electro-optical sensors, electronic support measures and extensive communications. The Swordfish sports a lightweight CAE magnetic anomaly detector.

Singapore Requirement

Singapore has been identified as having a need for new or upgraded MPAs, but no formal requirement has been issued, and a further upgrade of the existing fleet could be pursued. “Our Fokker 50 maritime patrol aircraft have been providing maritime air surveillance to protect our sea lines of communication since they began operations in 1995,” the Chief of the Air Force, Major General Mervyn Tan, told AIN. “The Fokker 50 MPA remains relevant to the defence of Singapore, and we will continue to operate the aircraft for as long as it is operationally and economically feasible. We will explore further upgrades or procure new systems when necessary to ensure we remain capable of meeting Singapore’s security needs,” he said.