(Jul. 13) - Piaggio Aero today announced the signature of a contract with the Abu Dhabi Autonomous System Investments (ADASI), a subsidiary of Tawazun, for the development of a new special missions surveillance aircraft, the Piaggio Aero MPA - Multirole Patrol Aircraft. The comprehensive contract covers the complete development of the MPA aircraft, including the roll out of two prototypes with first flight scheduled for 2014. "I'm proud that Piaggio Aero has been selected by ADASI, the company that manages many complex programs for the UAE Armed Forces and is forming joint ventures with internationally recognized companies. The newly designed Piaggio Aero MPA aircraft will allow us to enter the surveillance sector and diversify our business profile with the development of this new state of the art multirole platform" said Alberto Galassi, Piaggio Aero CEO "I'm also pleased to welcome SAAB as our partner in this challenging new aircraft.” The Defense and Security company Saab has been selected as the MPA systems supplier after an extensive international evaluation process. Piaggio Aero and Saab have joined forces to develop and integrate a full suite of sophisticated airborne sensors and surveillance systems. Saab's proven experience in special mission equipment will allow Piaggio Aero to deliver to ADASI the most advanced, cost effective state of the art aircraft for surveillance missions. (Red)

ABOUT THE PIAGGIO AERO MULTIROLE PATROL AIRCRAFT
The Piaggio Aero MPA is the evolution of the Piaggio Aero P.180 Avanti II platform, newly designed to meet the need for a robust and high-tech solution for land, coastal, maritime and offshore security. The MPA's main features are an enhanced airframe, increased maximum take-off weight, additional fuel tanks and a new aerodynamic configuration with a reinforced wing providing an increased surface and higher aspect ratio. The new special mission aircraft will be able to fly up to 12,500 meters, with an outstanding endurance of 10 plus flight hours, a maximum range of 3,300 Nm and a best in class cruise speed of 350 Knots. The range and endurance of the MPA will make it uniquely suited for any surveillance, law enforcement or security mission.