New Cessna Longitude Aims at Maritime Patrol Market

The Longitude MPA is optimized to loiter, with an eight-hour endurance and a 3,500-nm range. A belly-mounted transmissive radome allows for the operation of maritime radar equipment. The package also includes a beyond line of sight (BLOS) fairing, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor lift, and optional night vision goggle (NVG) compatible lighting.

“The Cessna Citation Longitude jet provides an excellent value for special mission operations due to its acquisition cost and operation cost combined with excellent speed, range and payload capacity,”  said Bob Gibbs, vice president of special mission sales for Textron Aviation, in a statement.

“Textron Aviation has developed and had certified factory provisions for various mission equipment supporting maritime patrol and surveillance missions, maximizing value for operations worldwide,” said Gibbs. The company expects this Longitude to serve on border patrol, search-and rescue missions, and fishery monitoring, among other deployments.

Textron Aviation will present several new aircraft as part of its exhibit at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, this week.

The recently flown Beechcraft Denali is still missing from the Oshkosh lineup—attendees can see the mockup that the company has had on display in prior years. The Denali is back on track for FAA certification after delays in the GE Catalyst engine program added a bit of unforeseen drag to the project. 

The King Air 260 will be there to see in person, plus the Citation M2 Gen 2, and the updated Cessna Turbo 182T Skylane.