Member Article

Assystem Enhances Its “In Service” With Prime Contractor Leonardo

Assystem, the international engineering group, announced at the Paris Air Show the signing of a contract to integrate systems, developed by the international security company Leonardo, to equip two planes for the navy of a north-African country.

The Assystem subsidiary Aerotec Concept received a triple approval for this project: Design Organization Approval (DOA), Production Organization Approval (POA) and Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO). The scope of the contract from prime contractor Leonardo covers the external and internal transformation of two Beechcraft King Air 350ER, including integrating Leonardo’s ATOS mission system, to enable the aircraft to perform maritime surveillance and sea rescue missions.

“Our added value regarding this contract stems from our knowledge of the equipment and systems to integrate, but also from our ability to perform all the activities linked to the three approvals. Rather than adapt the equipment to the plane, we are adapting the plane to the equipment, with a turnkey integration which represents an innovative high added value approach regarding In Service – and according to us this is the future for this fast-growing activity, notably to meet States expectations”, explains Johan Clochet, CEO of Aerotec.

On the aircrafts’ exterior, Aerotec will integrate Leonardo’s high performance Seaspray AESA radar.

This radar will be encapsulated in a radome covering this sophisticated equipment. This kind of mission also requires the integration of an optronics pod (within a turret) in the forward fuselage to integrate sensors. All these activities require the repositioning of antennas and will have an impact on the entire plane structure. Assystem will carry out aerodynamics studies to evaluate the modified plane structure and behaviour.

In the cabin, Aerotec will integrate the ATOS mission system, focusing on the operator’s comfort and the system’s operational added value.

In addition, a full intercommunications system will be integrated to optimise in-aircraft and external communications during missions.

A turnkey project

Adapting aircraft to the needs of missions such as sea surveillance is a major axis of development for Aerotec and Assystem’s “In Service” unit. Thanks to In Service, it is possible to solve complex systems integration issues and simultaneously deliver downstream support over an aircraft’s life cycle.

The aircraft will be inspected first by the Assystem teams based in Wichita (USA), where they are currently located. They will then be transferred to Toulouse for flight tests. The test pilots will welcome the navy pilots for their training in the new planes, before their delivery in North Africa. During the final stage, lasting 6 months, Aerotec will support the final client during the first operations of each aircraft.

The delivery of the Beechcraft King Air 350ER will be made in two stages, the first in July 2018 and the second in December 2018.

“For Assystem, this challenge perfectly showcases our ability to offer a complete turnkey solution from design to equipping, team expertise and great adaptation capacity. It allows us to demonstrate our unique know-how as solution integrator”, congratulates Jeff Hoyle, Vice President Airframe & Systems, Assystem.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Assystem .