Saudi Arabia has placed an order for four C-27J Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) from Leonardo, marking the first procurement of the MPA variant with integrated maritime strike capabilities.
The aircraft will be configured to carry naval weapons, with deliveries to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces scheduled to begin in 2029.
Once in service, the C-27J MPAs will conduct multi-domain missions including maritime surveillance, search and rescue, transport, and airdrop operations.
This acquisition follows Riyadh’s summer 2025 purchase of two C-27J aircraft tailored for firefighting, cargo transport, and medical evacuation roles.
C-27J MPA Capabilities
The C-27J MPA is derived from the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft, currently operated by 20 nations, including Italy, Slovenia, Azerbaijan, and the United States.
Saudi Arabia’s MPA fleet will feature a dedicated mission system designed to detect, identify, and track both surface and underwater threats. The system is managed by Leonardo’s Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance suite, enabling advanced data fusion.
The aircraft will also be armed with a variety of munitions, potentially including MBDA’s Marte-ER anti-ship missile and MU90 lightweight torpedoes, along with depth charges. Earlier this month, the kingdom finalized a deal worth more than €200 million for MU90 lightweight torpedoes.
Additionally, the MPA is equipped with a comprehensive communications system that supports real-time data exchange, including beyond-line-of-sight connectivity.
According to Leonardo, the armed variant retains a modular cabin design, allowing rapid reconfiguration for transport, airdrop, and medical evacuation missions, similar to the baseline aircraft.
