Diamonds Are Forever, With New Noses And Now Radar

Diamond Aircraft is showing a maritime-surveillance version of the popular DA42 MPP Guardian, equipped with the company’s own radar, in the static park here at the Farnborough Airshow. Founder of the Austrian company, Christian Dries, told AIN that Diamond developed the spinning AESA radar in the past 12 months, because conventional radar houses could offer only a two-year lead time. Diamond’s radar weighs less than 20 kg (44 pounds), offers a range of 120 km (75 miles), and also includes AIS, the maritime equivalent of IFF. Endurance of the aircraft is 12 hours.

Diamond (Outdoor Exhibit 18) has built 130 special mission DA42s, and three are on display here. They include the Centaur optionally-piloted aircraft (OPA) version sponsored by Aurora Flight Sciences; a DA42 MPP shown by DO Systems, the British surveillance specialist and Diamond distributor; and another one outside the Thales pavilion equipped with that company’s sensors.