Today, the Fokker 50 of the Peruvian Navy left for an engine test at FAdeA’s (Argentina) facilities, where work is being carried out for its transformation into a signal intelligence platform (or SIGINT).
The Fokker 50, registration AE-567 belonging to the Peruvian Navy, arrived in Argentina on September 17, 2020 for its conversion to a Signals Intelligence platform.
The Peruvian government had signed a contract with IAI (Israel Aircraft Industries) in 2017, who in turn subcontracted FAdeA in 2018 to perform the work, mainly because of the factory’s experience in the maintenance and modernization of the Argentine Air Force’s Fokker 27 fleet.
It is estimated that the amount to be received by the Argentine company is around three million dollars and the core of the work will be the assembly of the aircraft interior and the structural modification for the installation of the antennas of the new equipment and sensors that IAI (through its electronics division Elta Systems) will offer for the assigned intelligence task.
As can be seen in the photos, exclusive of Aviacionline, the aircraft was modified with the inclusion of several antennas under the planes, as well as various fuselaje modifications for the installation of electronic intelligence equipment, which will be provided by IAI of Israel.
On the upper front fuselage, a space reserve can be seen for the installation of a dome or radome, under which a SATCOM satellite link antenna could be housed.
Reliable sources told Aviacionline that work on the AE-597 is 90% complete, and the finished aircraft is expected to be delivered to the Peruvian Navy during April.
As the modifications will involve structural changes to the aircraft, the task will require obtaining a Supplemental Type Certificate after conversion to the new role.
