The Airborne Tactical Observation & Surveillance (ATOS) system developed by Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems (Stand A1029) has been a key feature of the equipment fitted to the ATR 42MP (maritime patrol) aircraft that has been in service for several years. Now the system is available in a more compact form as Atos C, and has been installed in the Britten-Norman Defender 4000.

This installation comprises the Seaspray 700E surveillance radar, a passive littoral surveillance system (PALS), Titan 385 multi-sensor turret system and a mission management system. Equipped with the Atos C system the Defender is set to participate in regional demonstration tours throughout 2006.
In the light of the severe problems posed by pirates in this area, the Defender 4000 could be deployed to almost any landing strip from which to mount patrols in support of fishery protection, smuggler interception and anti-piracy measures.

However, while Atos C features monitors small enough to be accommodated in the Defender’s cabin, the full-size Atos monitors just got bigger so that more data can be displayed on a split screen if required. The modular open architecture of the system facilitates its installation in a wide variety of aircraft but a mission management system is at the core of each variant to ease the task of controlling all mission phases.