Boeing maritime surveillance demonstrator takes off

The Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) demonstrator under development by Boeing has completed its first flight from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. The four hour flight, conducted by Boeing teammate Field Aviation, was conducted to verify airworthiness.

Boeing is developing the demonstrator as a low-risk and cost-effective maritime surveillance solution designed for search and rescue, anti-piracy patrols and coastal and border security.

MSA uses technologies developed for Boeing's P-8A Poseidon programme to provide multi-mission surveillance capabilities. The baseline configuration features an Active Electronically Scanned Array multi-mode radar, an Electro/Optical/Infrared sensor, Electronic Support Measures, a Communications Intelligence sensor and Automated Identification System.

Flights will continue over the coming two months, before the demonstrator is flown to a Boeing facility in Seattle where the MSA mission systems will be installed and tested.

Field Aviation Pilot Craig Tylski said: ‘We accomplished everything we set out to achieve. The aerodynamic performance was right on the money and even with the additional aerodynamic shapes, such as the radome, the demonstrator performed like a normal aircraft. The control and handling were excellent.’