General Atomics AeroTec Systems Confirms MRO Contract for Bangladesh Navy
General Atomics AeroTec Systems (GA-ATS) has signed a new maintenance contract with the Bangladesh Navy (BN).
The agreement includes heavy maintenance, modernization and pilot training. It also covers services for two of the Bangladesh Navy’s Do228 special mission aircraft.
Why the Do228?
The Bangladesh Navy has a fleet of four Do228 aircraft. The first two arrived in 2013 and have deployed on a range of missions, such as:
- Paratrooper deployment
- Maritime surveillance
- Reconnaissance flights
- Medical evacuation (MEDEVAC)
- Search and rescue (SAR)
A few years later, the Bangladesh Navy acquired two additional Do228, noting the exceptional performance of the aircraft. These aircraft arrived in Bangladesh in late 2021 and mid-2022.
They were the first Do228 aircraft produced and delivered by General Atomics AeroTec Systems after it acquired the Do228 program and the production site in Oberpfaffenhofen.
How GA-ATS will upgrade maintenance and surveillance radar for these Do228 aircraft
General Atomics AeroTec Systems, the Do228 OEM, will now perform heavy maintenance on the two Do228 that the Bangladesh Navy acquired in 2013. This includes a 72-month inspection and a 12-year structural inspection at the GA-ATS service facility in Germany.
One Do228 will also be upgraded with Hensoldt modern radar technology. This will expand the operational capabilities of the multi-role aircraft.
How the OEM will provide pilot training
GA-ATS has also developed a training program for maintenance personnel and pilots in the Bangladesh Navy. Training pilots will use the Do228 flight simulator at GA-ATS’s training facility in Germany. Students can also complete operator training for the new Hensoldt surveillance radar system.