10 April 2020: Pilatus Aircraft have awarded Leonardo with a contract to provide airborne communications systems, cockpit control panels and associated electronics for installation on-board PC-21 single-engine turboprop trainers being supplied to the Spanish Air Force. The contract further strengthens Leonardo's long-established partnership with Pilatus Aircraft. In the previous partnership, Pilatus had selected Leonardo avionics and lights/panels for PC-21 aircraft ordered by customers in Switzerland, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Australia.
The PC-21 aircraft were ordered by the Spanish Ministry of Defence through its Armament and Material Directorate (DGAM) to replace the Spanish Air Force's Casa C-101 jet trainers, which have been in-use since 1980. They are the third European air force to choose the PC-21 Next Generation Trainer.
Leonardo's multiband V/UHF RT-700/A communications system is a compact and lightweight military ETSO (European Technical Standard Order)-certified product. It provides voice and data communications in the 30-470MHz range and can transmit and receive securely when connected to an external encryption unit. Notably, the product provides ETSO-certified communications in the VHF ATC band (25/8,33kHz).