Airbus Joins Race for S Korea's $1.76B Maritime Patrol Aircraft Project

Airbus has offered its C295 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) for the South Korean Navy's MPA requirement which already has Boeing P8 and Saab Swordfish in the race.

In February, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) unveiled its plan to sign a deal with an overseas aircraft manufacturer to introduce next-generation maritime patrol aircraft by 2020. The project is worth 1.9 trillion won ($1.76 billion).

Airbus Defense and Space (DS) also expressed its willingness Tuesday to join the bidding process with its C295 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), a multi-role aircraft derived from the C295 military purpose transport aircraft, The Korea Times reports.

"If the government adopts an open tender process for the project, we are willing to compete with other aircraft manufacturers," an Airbus spokesman said. 

The company also plans to promote the new patrol aircraft on Thursday in Seoul by holding a press conference. 

DAPA plans to hold a meeting as early as this month to decide the form of the contract for the project. 

The Republic of Korea Navy currently uses the P-3 patrol aircraft. But in a defense acquisition meeting in February, the defense ministry and DAPA decided to adopt new surveillance aircraft that offer a longer flight duration and heavier weapons payload.