Boeing’s Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) demonstrator has made its first flight from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport in Canada.
Developed in conjunction with Canada’s Field Aviation, the MSA is based on a Bombardier Challenger 605 business jet airframe and has been developed as a low-risk and cost-effective maritime surveillance platform for search and rescue, anti-piracy, and coastal and border security missions. The MSA demonstrator aircraft uses a refurbished Challenger 604 airframe.
“We accomplished everything we set out to achieve,” Field Aviation pilot Craig Tylski said in a statement. “The aerodynamic performance was right on the money and even with the additional aerodynamic shapes, such as the radome, the demonstrator performed like a normal aircraft. The control and handling were excellent.”
Boeing says the MSA uses technologies developed for the larger 737-based P-8A Poseidon, of which the USN plans to acquire 117 and Australia has approved the acquisition of up to 12. It is equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, an electro/optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor, electronic support measures, a communications intelligence sensor, and a maritime automated identification system (AIS).
