General Atomics AeroTec Systems (GA-ATS) has won a tender from the Finnish Border Guard (FBG) to upgrade the navigation and communications systems of the Do228 fleet. The German manufacturer of the Do228 will carry out the modernization work at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany in the coming months and will also perform extensive planned maintenance work.
State-of-the-art navigation and communication systems
To enable the special mission aircraft to meet the modern challenges that border and maritime surveillance face on a daily basis, the Finnish Border Guard wants to improve efficiency and reliability of its Do228 fleet.
The two Do228 will be upgraded with a new navigation system AHRS (Attitude Heading Reference System), which is reliable and capable in the far north regions. A modern, cost-effective new communication system SATCOM will also be installed.
Comprehensive planned maintenance work on the Do228 fleet
During the same period that the modernization is being carried out, the Finnish Border Guard's Do228 fleet is also receiving comprehensive planned maintenance work at the General Atomics AeroTec Systems site in Oberpfaffenhofen. The manufacturer of the Do228 will perform periodic maintenance on the aircraft, including the implementation of service bulletins and other upgrades designed to improve dispatch reliability and further minimize maintenance efforts.
General Atomics AeroTec Systems offers this dependable maintenance service for the Do228 with a quality, that only the OEM can provide. The modern One-Stop-Shop concept of GA-ATS allows the maintenance work to be carried out simultaneously with the upgrade and modernization work. This means that there is only one downtime and the Do228s can be back in service in Finland within a few months.
Do228 successfully in service in Finland since 1995
The Do228 of the newest NATO member state were delivered in 1995 and have been upgraded throughout the years with modern equipment. Currently the aircraft are equipped with thermal cameras, day cameras, UV/IR scanners, weather radars, maritime surveillance radars, SLAR side-angle radars and Automatic Identification Systems (AIS).
The Do228 is entrusted at the Finnish Border Guard with the tasks of border surveillance on land and at sea, maritime search and rescue (SAR) and monitoring of the maritime environment. Since 2019 the Finnish Border Guard has been responsible for the marine pollution response in the open sea and the Do228 are equipped with surveillance equipment to help the crew establish a real-time image of the maritime area and any foreign substances in the sea. Furthermore, the aircraft provide cooperation and support in search and rescue tasks and other executive assistance tasks.
Due to its flexible equipment and modification options, the Do228 is the optimal aircraft for versatile missions. The aircraft also has short takeoff and landing capabilities (STOL). In the coming years, the Next Generation of the aircraft, the Do228 NXT, will enter series production at General Atomics AeroTec Systems in Oberpfaffenhofen.
About General Atomics AeroTec Systems
The German aircraft manufacturer General Atomics AeroTec Systems (GA-ATS) focuses on the maintenance and repair of business aircraft and military helicopters as well as the production and maintenance of the Dornier 228 at its Oberpfaffenhofen site with around 400 employees. General Atomics AeroTec Systems GmbH is a part of the General Atomics Europe group and an affiliate of General Atomics. (www.ga.com)
About General Atomics Europe:
General Atomics Europe GmbH (GA-Europe) is an integrated technology group for aerospace, infrastructure and sustainability with headquarters in Dresden. The medium-sized company holds stakes in nine subsidiaries with almost 1,000 employees. In addition to business activities in the field of aviation, the range of services includes modernization and maintenance of rail vehicles, thermal treatment and recycling of batteries especially in the field of electromobility, special construction services and environmental remediation, engineering precast reinforced concrete components, environmental monitoring and water technology, as well as highly specialized projects in the field of technology metals. GA-Europe has its roots in the former Spezialtechnik Dresden GmbH, which was taken over by the owners of the family-run US company General Atomics in 1992 and has since been consistently developed further. (www.ga-europe.com)
General Atomics is a globally active American technology group with more than 12,500 employees and is headquartered in San Diego, California. (www.ga.com)
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