Saudi Arabia has ordered four C-27J Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) from Leonardo, marking the first time the MPA variant has been procured with a maritime weapon system integration capability.
The aircraft will be equipped to carry naval weapons, and the Italian defense firm is expected to begin deliveries to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces in 2029.
Once operational, the C-27Js will perform multi-domain surveillance, search-and-rescue, transport, and airdrop missions.
The order builds on Riyadh’s summer 2025 acquisition of two C-27Js configured for firefighting, cargo transport, and medical evacuation tasks.
C-27J MPA
The C-27J MPA builds upon the base model C-27J Spartan multi-mission tactical transport platform, which is in service with 20 countries, including Azerbaijan, Italy, Slovenia, and the US.
Saudi Arabia’s incoming MPA fleet comes equipped with a dedicated mission suite to detect, identify, and track surface and subsurface targets.
The suite is managed by the Leonardo Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance system, which provides data fusion capabilities.
The aircraft will also carry a range of weapons — including torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, and depth charges — with the MBDA Marte-ER anti-ship missile and MU-90 lightweight torpedoes as potential munitions, according to Defense News.
Earlier this month, the Gulf kingdom ordered MU90 lightweight torpedoes under a deal valued at over 200 million euros ($238 million).
The MPA also features a complete communication system enabling real-time data sharing, even in beyond-line-of-sight conditions.
According to Leonardo, the armed MPA features a cabin that can be reconfigured to conduct transport, airdrop, and medevac missions, just like the base aircraft.
