https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... er-emergesPAL Aircraft Services’ P-6 maritime patrol aircraft was a surprise debutante at the IDEX show held last week in Abu Dhabi. The new type, based on a Bombardier Global 6500 business jet, bears some similarities to the abandoned Saab Swordfish concept.
Since the end of the Swordfish program, Boeing has drawn ever closer to the end of P-8A Poseidon production, with the P-8A line expected to close within three years without further orders, assuming a minimum viable production rate of 12 aircraft per year. “Now is the time for a market filler,” Mahmoud El-Awini, PAL’s vice president of business development, told AIN, describing a looming “jet gap”.
Many elements of the P-6 concept remain undefined as they will depend on customer requirements and PAL itself is platform- and systems-agnostic. The aircraft is being designed in partnership with Thales, with radar and sonobuoys from the French company expected to form the basis of an initial baseline configuration.
Like the Swordfish, the P-6 has a 360-degree radar, though this is understood to be a mechanically-scanned system and not AESA technology. The new aircraft also has an undernose EO/IR sensor, and a magnetic anomaly detector sensor, as well as electronic support measures, datalinks, and satcoms.
https://www.edrmagazine.eu/idex-2023-pa ... l-aircraftAt IDEX 2023 PAL Aerospace unveiled its P-6 multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft, based on the Canadian Bombardier Global 6500 business jet. With the increasing interest in balancing maritime domain surveillance and anti-submarine warfare against the proliferation of combat underwater platforms, Middle East countries are looking to new aerial platforms as the legacy Boeing P-8A Poseidon is nearing the end of its production cycle.
“It is time to address the next-gen MPA gap,” Keith Stoodley, Chief Executive Officer PAL Aerospace Services Aircraft Maintenance LLC, told EDR On-Line, referring to the debutante P-6 MPA solution. “The P-6 MPA brings next-gen technology, and regional expertise to the table, providing nations with a highly adaptable and advanced blue-water maritime patrol solution. Our strategic partnerships with industry leaders and the synergy of our P-4 and P-6 platforms demonstrate our commitment to delivering exceptional products and services that are tailored to the evolving needs of maritime domain surveillance and anti-submarine warfare.” As part of the global PAL Group of companies, PAL Aerospace Services Aircraft Maintenance is an Emirati-owned company based in Abu Dhabi that will support the ‘Centre of Excellence’ in the UAE for Special Mission Aircraft in-service support, integration, modification, manufacturing, and training.
I wonder if one with American systems (Mk 54, AGM-84/AGM-184) would be called Ventura II or Hudson II?
