(taken
from: unknown Internet source)
In
march 1957 a multinational commitee came together to define the
requirements for the new "Maritime Patrol Aircraft" (MPA). A year
later all possible manufacturers were invited to submit their proposals.
To underline the MPA's multinational character it had to be an at
least bi-lateral project. Due to this fact only two months later
french company Bréguet signed a contract of cooperation with
Avro, Dornier, Fokker and Sud Aviation.
In total 18 proposals of 26 companies from 8 countries were submitted.
January 1959 saw NATO voting the Atlantic as the winning construction.
Shortly after the french government signed the official developmentcontract,
Great Britain and the United States withdrew from the project as
a result of growing pressure of the local aviation lobby. Nevertheless,
Belgium was won as a new contractor.
(taken
from: unknown Internet source)
Toulouse-Blagnac
was the place of the Atlantic's maiden flight on 21st october 1961.
A setback to the project was the loss of the second prototype. After
reinforcement of the wings, the Atlantic went into production and
the first model was delivered to MFG 3 in 1966. The complete order
included 20 aircraft.
The first batch consisted of 4 aircraft, which were tested extensively
by the Bundesmarine. Tests included longrange flights of up to 20
hours and climatic tests in Canada.
Shortly
after, MFG 3 received it's next Atlantic's and equipped two squadrons
with them. They were to be used in the roles of: maritime reconaissance,
subhunting, minelaying and Search and Resue. The Atlantic's ordnance
consisted of torpedos (Mk.44), waterbombs (Mk.54), mines, A.S. 20
air-to-surface missiles, as well as conventional bombs in use by
the German Airforce. As a means for detection and surveillance of
enemy surface forces and submarines, the Atlantics were equipped
with actice and passive sonar-bojues, a magnetic anomaly detector
(MAD) and Radar.
(taken
from: Navy Brochure)
In
the beginning 1970s, most Atlantics had to be grounded due to corrosion.
Till 1972 all aircraft were repaired and received improved landing-gear
on the same occasion. Moreover the comabat-capability was enhanced
during the process. Later on five Atlantics were modified as ECM
platforms. They could be used in the fields of COMINT, ELINT and
SIGINT.
1982
brought another improvement ot combatcapabilities in order to utilize
the MPA for the next decades. 14 aircraft were refitted at Dornier
and were designated Br.1150 ATL (KWS). Modifications icluded the
incorporation of a complex ESM system. Unexpected problems with
software availability and other faults, retarded the project, so
that the last aircraft was delivered to Nordholz as late as 1987.
German
Navy Atlantics not only protect the North Sea and access to the
Baltic, but flew in the Bosnia crisies as well. The crews patroled
the Adriatic Sea to ensure the embargo emposed on Jugoslavia. Since
the begining of the crises, Atlantics keep patroling the area, either
in the maritime surveillance role or in the intelligence gathering
role.
A
successor for the ageing Atlantic is not yet in sight and it will
be operated well within the next century. In the begining 1990s
the french Atlantique 2 and US P-3C Orion were proposed as a possible
follw-up, but none of the two was acquired. A later contender was
the projected Lockheed P-7 of which 12 aircraft were to be ordered.
But the project saw cancelation due to exploding costs and change
of political climate in europe.
(taken
from: "Flugzeuge und Hubschrauber der Bundeswehr", Motorbuch
Verlag)
Technical
data:
| Measures |
| Wingspan
: 38,06m |
| Length
: 31,80m |
| Height
: 11,30m |
| Weights |
| Weight empty
: 24000kg |
| max. Takeoff Weight: 44500kg |
| Performance |
| max. Speed
: 625km/h |
| Range
: 9200km |
| Serviceceiling
: 30000ft |
| Engine |
| Rolls-Royce Tyne 20 Mk.21 |
| Thrust
: 9100kW |
