Dassault Atlantique 2

Type (Muster)
Maritime patrol aircraft (Seefernaufklärer und U-Boot-Jagdflugzeug)

Country (Land)
France (Frankreich)

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Dassault Aviation
9 Rond-point champs Elysées-Marcel Dassault
75008 Paris
France

Phone: 0033-1/4795-8687
Fax: 0033-1/4795-8740

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 3 in the cockpit (including flight engineer) plus 7 to 9 in the cabin. These include radio-navigator, ESM/ECM/MAD operator, radar/IFF operator, TACCO and two acoustic sensor operators plus two observers. Room for up to 25 persons.

Weapons (Bewaffnung): The Atlantique 2 features a large weapons bay (27 cu m) in the lower fuselage lobe plus four underwing hardpoints. It can take a variety of armament and equipment including
8 x Mk.46 or MU90 torpedos
8 x ASW depth charges
6 x 250 kg mines
2 x AM 39 Exocet anti ship missiles
8 x air-sea rescue containers

Power plant (Antrieb): 2 x Rolls-Royce Tyne Rty.20 Mk21 turboprops
Power (Leistung): 2 x 4540 kW (6100 ehp)
Propeller: Four blade constant speed, diameter 4,88 m
Specific fuel consumption (Kraftstoffverbracuh): 0,439 lb/hr/ehp at take-off rating

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 31,71 m
Height (Höhe): 11,30 m
Span (Spannweite): 37,46 m
Wing area (Flügelfläche): 120,34 sq m

Cabin length (Kabinenlänge): 18,5 m
Cabin width (Kabinenbreite): 2,9 m maximum
Cabin height (Kabinenhöhe): 2,0 m
Cabin volume (Kabinenvolumen): 92 cu m

Weights (Massen)
Empty weight, equipped (Leermasse): 25700 kg
Fuel (Kraftstoff): 23120 litres / 18500 kg
Internal weapons load (Zuladung im Waffenschacht): 3600 kg
External stores (Außenlasten): 3500 kg
Max. zero fuel weight (max. Masse ohne Kraftstoff): 32500 kg
Max. take-off weigth (Max. Startmasse): 46200 kg
Normal landing weight (Landemasse): 36000 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. level speed (Höchstgeschwindigkeit): 648 km/h
Max. cruise speed (max. Reisegeschwindigkeit): 574 km/h at 7620 m
Normal patrol speed (Patrouillengeschwindigkeit): 315 km/h from sea level to 1525 m
Service ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 9145 m (30000 ft)
Max. climb rate (max. Steigrate): 10,16 m/s at sea level, at 40000 kg all-up weight
Take-off distance to 10 m (Startstrecke über 10-m-Hindernis): 1840 m
Landing distance from 15 m (Landestrecke über 15-m-Hindernis): 1500 m
Ferry range (Überführungsreichweite): 9075 km
Time on station:
8 hours at 1110 km from base, or 11 hours with maximum fuel
5 hours at 1850 km from base, or 8 hours with maximum fuel
Endurance (Flugdauer): 18 h

Cost (Kosten)
In 1990 it was said that the unit flyaway cost was some 50 million US-Dollars or some 320 million FF.

Customers (Kunden)
The French Aéronavale ordered 28 aircraft, though the original requirement was 42. Three units are operational with the Atlantique 2:

21 Flottille at Nimes-Garons: Declared operational on 1. February 1994
23 Flottille at Lann-Bihoué: Declared operational with three aricraft on 1. February 1991
24 Flottille at Lann-Bihoué: Operational from 1992

Competition (Konkurrenz)
Lockheed P-3C Orion

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The Atlantique 2 is an updated version of the Dassault-Breguet Atlantic of the 60s. It features a refined structure for better corrosion resistance and entirely new mission systems avionics, incorporating the latest technologies in detection, navigationa and data processing. The architecture is based on a tactical computer with tactical displays and decentralised subsystems, each with their own management and processing computer. Equipment includes:

Iguane retractable radar from Thomson-CSF behind cockpit. It can use pulse compression for detecting very small targets even in rough seas
Tango FLIR sensor under the nose for day/night detection and identification of surface targets
MAD built by Sextant in the tail for location/tracking of submarines
ESM
Sadang system from Thomson-CSF to process active and passive acoustic data
Link 11 data transmission system for interoperability with other forces
over 120 sonobuys in compartment behind weapons bay
navigation system with two INS/GPS units, air data computer and automatic nav plotter
HF, VHF and UHF links

Production of the Atlantique 2 was again shared by teh SECBAT cosnsortium set up for the Atlantic 1. Members were Dassault, Aérospatiale, Dornier and MBB (now EADS), Aeritalia (now Alenia) and Sabca/Sonaca/FN.

History (Geschichte)
On 9 March 1977, the French government took the decision to launch preliminary design work for the Atlantique 2 definition. The launch of the programme was decided on 23 February 1978.
An Atlantic 1 was converted into an ATL2 prototype and flew for the first time on 8 May 1981. A second test aircraft followed on 16 March 1982. In 1984, the French defence minister authorized series production, with the signing of teh first effective production contract on 24 May.
The first production Atlantique 2 got airborne on 19 October 1988 in a sortie lasting 2 hours 35 minutes. Jean-Maire Saget was at the controls. Deliveries started (some four months late) on 26 October 1989 at Lann-Bihoué with one aircraft, followed by two in 1990, six each in 1991 and 1992, four in 1993 and the rest in 1994-1998. The last aircraft was handed over on 15 January 1998.
Since 1988, Dassault is proposing a further enchanced maritime patrol aircraft, referred to as the Atlantique 3. Technical specifications vary, and until now there have been no takers. The latest chance for the ATL3 is a German/Italian requirement, with a request for proposals expected by the end of 2000.

Last updated 7. September 2000

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