Finnish Air Force selects special platform Casa C-295M

[Riđđu]

This was news in Finland on Monday but nothing in English yet, so have to report this myself because defence journalists must be sleeping. Finnish MoD has decided to replace current ELINT Fokker F.27 with Casa C-295M. Budgeted price is €112 million including "surveillance equipment" from Lockheed Martin. The system is going to be operated from Tikkakoski air base by Finnish Intelligence Research Establishment. Estimated delivery date is in 2013.

Personally I find it strange that they decided to use turboprop as ELINT platform when all the cool kids use business jets or other high altitude things.

[Riđđu]

After reading Aviation Week it seems Lockheed Martin product must be Airborne Multi-intelligence Laboratory (AML) roll-on/roll-off system. Any idea what sort of capabilities that will offer?

[Riđđu]

from Defense Industry Daily

Contracts & Key Events
Finland will pay EUR 137.6 million million (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE6441S220100505?type=marketsNews) for a military version of the Casa twin-turboprop C-295M transport aircraft (http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/c295/) from EADS. Presumably, this contract will cover the 5 options from the original order.
Well not quite... Amazing how lost they are without a press release in english.

[ADMk2]

There are a few articles around about the L-M capability. Of course with such sensitive topics, real information will remain "classified"...

http://www.militaryaerospace.com/index/display/article-display/368436/articles/military-aerospace-electronics/online-news/airborne-c4isr-laboratory-for-electronic-sensors-unveiled-certified-by-lockheed-martin.html

http://blog.flightstory.net/1355/photos-inside-the-lockheed-martin-airborne-multi-intelligence-laboratory-aml/

http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices-government/12776759-1.html

http://www.defencetalk.com/airborne-lab-demonstrates-advanced-intelligence-collection-capabilities-21935/

Cheers

AD