THREE MORE HC144A OCEAN SENTRY AIRCRAFT ACQUIRED BY THE U.S. COAST GUARD
December 1, 2008
The U.S. Coast Guard has ordered three more EADS CASA HC144A Ocean Sentry aircraft, expanding its acquisition of the CN235-based airlifter to be used in a full range of search & rescue and maritime missions.
This purchase brings total HC144A acquisitions to 11, with the Coast Guard expecting to build up a fleet of 36 fully missionized aircraft by 2020. Delivery dates for the latest-ordered Ocean Sentries are in April, August and November 2010, respectively.
The Coast Guard is preparing for the HC144A’s Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in early 2009, and will base the initial operational unit at Mobile, Alabama.
To date, EADS CASA has delivered six Ocean Sentry aircraft, with the most recent acceptance of an HC144A occurring on November 5 – which was early, and within the negotiated price.
The HC144A’s acquisition is part of the Coast Guard’s Deepwater Major Acquisition Program, with these aircraft replacing the service’s aging fleet of HU-25 Falcon jets. Derived from EADS CASA’s C295/CN235 family of tactical airlifters, the Ocean Sentry will significantly enhance Coast Guard aircrews’ mission execution capability.
These twin-engine turboprop aircraft will perform various missions in Coast Guard service, including maritime patrol, law enforcement, search and rescue, disaster response, as well as cargo and personnel transport.
The aircraft has an integrated surface search radar, an electro-optical/infrared system, an Automatic Identification System for vessels, direction-finding equipment, and electronic surveillance measures. The Ocean Sentry’s hydraulic-operated rear ramp provides added operational capability, and enables the aircraft to accept a fully-equipped roll-on/roll-off mission system pallet.
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