Australian Maritime surveillance

Probably a better solution for low cost Australian maritime surveillance:

CASR Aerospace – Canadian-made Airframe for Maritime Patrol – July 2013

Maritime Surveillance Aircraft: Boeing selects a Bombardier 'Bizjet', the Challenger605, as the preferred airframe for its proposed MSA

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Update: Jan 2014, According to Field Aviation, the Challenger-based Boeing MSA will sell for $55M-to-$60M each, or roughly one-third of  the cost for a P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft. Aside from P-8A sensors, the Challenger MSA options will include a side-looking airborne radar, as on RDAF Challengers.

Update: 18 Nov 2013, Boeing confirmed that a Challenger 604 is currently being modified as a Maritime Surveillance Aircraft prototype. MSA project partner,  Field Aviation,  has begun work on this prototype which will be unveiled in 2014.  Production MSAs are to be based on Challenger 605 airframes. Field Aviation also did earlierChallenger 604 MMA conversions.


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H/T- SR