Piaggio MPA (Multirole Patrol Aircraft)

Multi-Mission Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Italy | 2020

"The Piaggio MPA is an in-development multi-mission platform designed around enhanced over-water performance."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/22/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Image from Piaggio Aero official marketing material.

Piaggio Aerospace of Italy is offering its P.180 "Avanti" twin-turboprop executive aircraft for the maritime patrol role through its Avanti MPA ("Multirole Patrol Aircraft") product. The aircraft is designed for special mission applications related primarily to maritime scouting and reconnaissance while retaining and overland and coastline patrol capabilities as well - allowing it to undertake missions related to Tactical Intelligence, Reconnaissance and Surveillance (ISR), ELectronic INTelligence (ELINT), COMmunications INTelligence (COMINT) and general ground surveillance.

The MPA is based on the framework established with the Piaggio P.180 "Avanti II" series aircraft.

In the MPA, the overall structure has received attention: there is general streamlining of the fuselage as well as increased spans to the various horizontal surfaces to produce better control and lifting properties resulting in an aircraft with a higher payload capacity. The three lifting surfaces common to the P.180 line are all there - canards are featured ahead of the cockpit section, the slim, straight wing mainplanes are seated low and under the fuselage, and the horizontal tailplanes are installed high atop the single vertical tail fin. This triple-plane (Three Lifting Surfaces Configuration = 3LSC) arrangement benefits low-altitude flying as well as fuel efficiency. The Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) engines are fitted in a "pusher" configuration, each nacelle found at each wing mainplane and extending from ahead of the leading edges to well past the trailing edges, and are used to drive newly-designed scimitar-style propeller units. A tricycle undercarriage, also of all-new design specifically for the MPA, is used for ground-running.

Internally, the aircraft carries a full search radar suite and electro-optical and InfraRed (IR) sensors. The fuselage features a ventral blister pack housing specialized mission equipment. The crew of two are seated side-by-side in the cockpit just aft of the nosecone while the spacious passenger cabin is arranged with the appropriate equipment needed for the maritime patrol role. Rectangular windows dot the fuselage sides. Two mission consoles are fitted to either side of the customizable fuselage and a compact galley and toilet area are also included for long-endurance missions. Internal space has also been reserved for additional fuel storage for increased operational ranges.

Performance specifications include a dash speed nearing 350 knots with an excellent rate-of-climb able to take the aircraft to altitudes of 41,000 feet. The aircraft can operate at high altitudes for up to ten hours and at low altitudes for up to seven hours while reaching out to ranges of 3,300 nautical miles. The unique arrangement of fuselage, wings, and engines make the MPA one of the quietest and fastest turboprop aircraft available today - providing performance more akin to jet aircraft than propeller-driven types.

The MPA is being developed jointly with support from Abu Dhabi Autonomous System Investments (ADASI) of Abu Dhabi. Saab Defence and Security Systems of Sweden has developed the MPA's all-important mission system fit.

May 2016 - The MPA platform has achieved its first-flight though the program has since been stalled indefinitely.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Piaggio MPA (Multirole Patrol Aircraft) Multi-Mission Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

2 x Turboprop engines arranged in pusher configuration.
Propulsion

404 mph
650 kph | 351 kts
Max Speed

41,010 ft
12,500 m | 8 miles
Service Ceiling

3,800 miles
6,115 km | 3,302 nm
Operational Range

3,000 ft/min
914 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

City-to-City Ranges
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Piaggio MPA (Multirole Patrol Aircraft) Multi-Mission Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

8
(MANNED)
Crew

47.2 ft
14.40 m
O/A Length

45.9 ft
(14.00 m)
O/A Width

13.0 ft
(3.95 m)
O/A Height

16,535 lb
(7,500 kg)
Empty Weight

26,455 lb
(12,000 kg)
MTOW

Design Balance
The three qualities reflected below are altitude, speed, and range. The more full the box, the more balanced the design.

RANGE

ALT

SPEED

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Piaggio MPA (Multirole Patrol Aircraft) family line.

MPA (Multirole Patrol Aircraft) - Base Series Name.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Piaggio MPA (Multirole Patrol Aircraft). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 1 Units
Contractor(s): Piaggio Aero - Italy

[ Italy (possible) ]

Relative Max Speed

Hi: 500mph

Lo: 250mph

Aircraft Max Listed Speed (404mph).

Graph Average of 375 MPH.

Era Crossover

Showcasing Aircraft Era Crossover (if any)

Max Alt Visualization

Production Comparison

1

36183

44000

Entry compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian) total production.

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

Aviation Timeline

EarlyYrs

WWI

Interwar

WWII

ColdWar

Postwar

Modern

Future

♦

1 / 1

Image of the Piaggio MPA (Multirole Patrol Aircraft)

Image from Piaggio Aero official marketing material.

Mission Roles
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to airborne requirements.

ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE

ANTI-SHIP

RECONNAISSANCE

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Going Further...
The Piaggio MPA (Multirole Patrol Aircraft) Multi-Mission Maritime Patrol Aircraft appears in the following collections:

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