The Armed Forces of Malta yesterday took delivery of a leased CASA 212.CC maritime patrol aircraft for patrolling duties in the Frontex joint operation ‘Nautilus’.

The aircraft belongs to firm CAE Aviation of Luxemburg and will be operated from Luqa by an AFM aircrew under the supervision of an instructor from the firm.

The European external borders co-ordination agency Frontex is still conducting operation ‘Nautilus’, in the central Mediterranean, against illegal immigrant activities and the provision of this aircraft shows the support offered to Malta by the government of Luxembourg, the AFM said.

During these past weeks, AFM senior pilots and technicians have been in local type-conversion training on this aircraft.

The CASA 212 first flew in 1973, and is a highly successful and capable short take-off and landing aircraft which is operated worldwide by several air arms and civilian companies, mainly in the transport role.

The type is still in production in Spain and Indonesia, and has been in operation in Malta since 1979 in the Libyan desert regions, mostly servicing oil firms’ outposts and installations.

The Luxembourg government-leased aircraft will be the largest and first turbine powered fixed wing aircraft to be operated by the AFM’s Air Wing.

It can be flown by day and night in almost any weather and is equipped with a powerful nose-mounted search radar, thermal imaging and homing equipment.

A ramp at the rear makes it possible to drop survival equipment from the air.

The particular aircraft was previously operated by the Swedish Navy in the anti-submarine role. It now carries Maltese military markings and carries the serial number AS0925, which it will continue to carry until the end of the Nautilus joint operation. The other EU Member State which is supporting the AFM with operational assets in this joint operation is Germany.