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| Boeing Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) test flight take off. Photo: Boeing |
[Avionics Today 01-22-2015] The Boeing Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) program has completed the baseline ground and flight testing of the aircraft mission systems and is ready for customer demonstration flights. The testing included hundreds of scenarios to confirm performance of the automatic identification system, radar, electro-optical infrared camera, communications radios and data links, communications intelligence system and the electronic support measures.
MSA is a multi-intelligence maritime surveillance platform that leverages investments in the P-8A Poseidon and the airborne warning and control system block 40/45 aircraft mission systems to provide an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) solution in a mid-size business jet. The aircraft’s potential missions include anti-piracy, immigration patrols, economic exclusion zone enforcement, coastal and border security and long-range search and rescue.
Flights for prospective customers around the world are scheduled to begin in the coming months with the mission system testing following last year’s airworthiness and certification testing.