By Skies Magazine | July 20, 2022 Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 45 seconds.
Textron Aviation on July 20 introduced a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) variant of its Cessna Citation Longitude. Designed for maritime patrol, search-and-rescue (SAR), and surveillance missions, the aircraft features a lightweight utility interior that can easily be reconfigured depending on the mission.
With a maximum cruise speed of 483 ktas (895 km/h), eight-hour maximum endurance, and 3,500-nautical-mile maximum range, the Longitude MPA variant has essentially the same specs as Textron’s traditional Citation Longitude business jet. However, the Longitude MPA is outfitted with a variety of equipment that makes it ideally suited for surveillance missions over land and water, as well as conducting SAR, border patrol, and fishery monitoring missions, among others.
The special missions aircraft is equipped with a transmissive belly radome for maritime radars; beyond line of sight (BLOS) fairing for antennas up to 18 inches; electro-optical/infra-red (EO/IR) sensor lift for sensors up to 20 inches; optional external night vision goggle (NVG) compatible lighting; and a dedicated special mission electrical power bus.
Textron’s VP of special mission sales, Bob Gibbs, said the Citation Longitude “provides excellent value” for special mission operations “due to its acquisition cost and operation cost, combined with excellent speed, range, and payload capacity.”
The Citation Longitude MPA variant features storage areas in the forward and aft cabin for support gear, plus optional mission consoles, which allow operators to process sensor data and stream information via datalink. The aircraft can accommodate seven belted passenger seats, along with a refreshment center for long flights.
Textron says it has developed and certified factory provisions for various mission equipment supporting maritime patrol and surveillance missions, which will “maximize value for operators worldwide.”
