Royal Canadian Air Force's First Upgraded CP-140 Aurora Completes First Flight

Threads about the world of aviation outside of airshows. General aviation, airlines, spotting, etc.
Post Reply
User avatar
n33d4sp33d_85
Posts: 17159
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:58 pm
Location: Fairfax, VA

Royal Canadian Air Force's First Upgraded CP-140 Aurora Completes First Flight

Post by n33d4sp33d_85 » Thu Feb 27, 2020 2:39 am

The Royal Canadian Air Force revealed the first flight mid-February of the upgraded CP-140 Aurora (serial 140108) as part of an initial flight test programme

The secretive Block IV-modified CP-140 made a test flight to verify the safety of the design for flight from Halifax to Greenwood (NS). The flight was carried out by a crew of the 14 Wing and was fully supported by the RCAF Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment (AETE). The Block IV modifications - the last of the modernisation phases for the Aurora - include three major improvements; a beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) satellite communication (SATCOM), a link 16 Datalink, and a self-defence system. The initial operational capability (IOC) for the Block IV is expected in June 2020, followed by a full operational capability (FOC) in September 2022.

The Aurora Incremental Modernisation Project (AIMP) started in June 2015 and involved 23 individual projects to acquire, integrate and install new mission systems and sensors onto the aircraft for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. CP-140 104108 arrived for modification on 6 November 2017, while the actual work started on 10 October 2018. The integration testing of upgrades on this prototype aircraft began on 13 December 2018, and the ground test readiness review was conducted on 29 April 2019, clearing the way for the start of ground testing. The modified aircraft are designated as CP-140M.

The RCAF operates a fleet of seventeen CP-140s in the primary airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) role of which fourteen are expected to be modified. Canada has planned two upgrade programmes for its fleet, the aforementioned AIMP and the Aurora Structural Life Extension Project (ASLEP). The latter is to increase the aircraft’s capability and operational life respectively. Both AIMP and ASLEP will cost the Canadian taxpayer USD 1,983 billion and this will extend the operational life of the CP-140 Aurora fleet to 2030.
https://www.facebook.com/Scramblemagazi ... &__tn__=-R
0 x

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot], Majestic-12 [Bot], Semrush [Bot] and 29 guests