According to a PR published by Leonardo on May 25, 2023, the Ministry of Defence of Malaysia has signed a contract with Leonardo to acquire two ATR 72 MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) platforms.
The signing ceremony took place at LIMA 2023, a prominent maritime and defense exhibition held in Langkawi, Malaysia. This contract comes after Malaysia’s selection of Leonardo’s solution, which was announced in October 2022. The chosen ATR 72 MPA reflects its effectiveness and capability as a well-suited platform for Malaysia’s operational needs.
The ATR 72 MPA is a twin-turboprop aircraft specifically designed for complex maritime patrol missions. As a specialized variant of the ATR regional transport aircraft, it is equipped with advanced security and surveillance systems developed by Leonardo.
Its versatile capabilities include maritime surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface unit Warfare (AsuW), Search & Rescue (SAR), environmental monitoring, medical evacuation, and personnel and material transport.
The aircraft selected by Malaysia maintains the reliability, maintainability, low lifecycle costs, and comfort features of the baseline ATR 72-600. Additionally, they will be equipped with a flexible mission system, advanced sensors, and a comprehensive communications suite for Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) missions over land and sea.