A few days ago in Turin, at the Leonardo Velivoli site in Caselle Torinese, the ceremony for the delivery to the Guardia di Finanza of the fourth and last P-72B, a special version for maritime patrol of the turboprop aircraft for regional transport ATR 72- 600. The contract signed with GdF provided for an overall order for four aircraft, training and logistical support, with deliveries to be completed by 2022.
The gen. b. Mariano La Malfa, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Guardia di Finanza, underlined “How this aircraft allows the Guardia di Finanza to have assets with cutting-edge technologies at an international level. A reason for pride but also for reflection on the challenges that await us to continue with the technological evolution of the platform and to always guarantee maximum operational effectiveness. The added value generated by Leonardo's experience and technology and by GDF's expertise is the key to consolidating a synergistic relationship and also looking at a potential extension of the fleet ". The general then wanted to conclude with a thank you addressed to the Leonardo team and to that of the GdF "Who worked together with essential and decisive harmony".
Marco Zoff, head of Leonardo's aircraft division, underlined how proud the Leonardo community is to equip the GdF and the country with an aircraft that expresses the company's technological capabilities at the highest levels. “A success story that has distant roots and which is based on a strong harmony made of constant comparison and cooperation. Today is just one stage of a long path towards a continuous evolution of the aircraft and we are ready to look at potential new requirements to meet the needs of our customer " Zoff added.
The aircraft will be operated by the Air Service of the Guardia di Finanza, as part of the multiple roles assigned to the Corps. The Guardia di Finanza is the only Police Force with general competence capable of carrying out an incisive and constant surveillance activity along the entire national coast and in international waters, also thanks to the advanced technological equipment installed on the aircraft at its disposal.
The latest generation features installed on the ATR 72MP will help support specific surveillance activities entrusted to the Guardia di Finanza. The P-72B will carry out air-sea patrol and search missions, using on-board sensors to identify and identify sensitive targets, monitor their behavior, acquire sources of evidence and guide the intervention of naval units and ground patrols.
The aircraft is equipped with the modular ATOS (Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance) mission system, entirely developed by Leonardo, which manages the wide range of sensors on board and provides operators with a complete and constantly updated picture of the situation. Thanks to its commercial derivation, the ATR 72MP can guarantee its crew a level of ergonomics and comfort that increase their efficiency and effectiveness during maritime patrol, search and identification, fight against drug trafficking, piracy, smuggling missions. and protection of territorial waters, missions that can last over eight hours.
Photo: Luca Nicolotti / Leonardo
