Source: EADS CASA
(Madrid, February 8, 2006) -- EADS CASA has signed with the Irish MOD a 12.5 million euro contract to modernise the two (2) CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft that the Irish Air Corps operates since 1994.
These aircraft have been assigned the surveillance of the Irish Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ) and support operations from the armed forces, police, naval service, etc. These duties require, permanently, the availability of modern and capable resources. For this reason, the Irish Government has decided to replace the present equipment with the sophisticated mission system FITS (Fully Integrated Tactical System) developed by EADS CASA.
The FITS is a system entirely developed by EADS CASA that provides the crew, through a number of different sensors (search radar, infrared sensor, TV,etc.), with all the information required for the success of the mission, from maritime (drug trafficking control, illegal immigration, sea rescue, etc.) to antisubmarine warfare.
The Irish Air Corps CN-235s lead the ranking of flight hours per aircraft per year of the entire CN-235 fleet in the world. The first modernised aircraft will be delivered in 2007.
Francisco Fernndez S inz, President of EADS CASA, has declared: We are very proud of the Irish Air Corps relaying on us because it shows that our main objective of customer satisfaction has been reached
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2004, EADS generated revenues of 31.8 billion and employed a workforce of about 110,000. The EADS Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world's largest helicopter supplier Eurocopter and the joint venture MBDA, the leading international missile producer in the global market. EADS is the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium, is the prime contractor for the Ariane launcher, develops the A400M military transport aircraft and is the largest industrial partner for the European satellite navigation system Galileo.
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