The Armed Forces of Malta earlier today officially rolled out their second maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) during a ceremony at their Air Wing base in Luqa Airport.

The ceremony was presided over by the Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who said that this aircraft, the second of its type on the local military register, "is part of an extensive investment programme that is being undertaken" in all AFM which is aimed at ensuring that Maltese troops are equipped with the latest hardware and technology to meet the challenges of their duties.

AFM Commander Brigadier Martin Xuereb said the new MPA reaffirmed the AFM's commitment to serve the nation by protecting its interests as well as securing Europe's southern borders.

The MPA procurement project, with its total value of over €19 million, has also seen AFM pilots and aircraft technicians trained on the Hawker Beech King Air B200 along with mission system and related field support operators.

The project was co-financed by the EU's External Borders Fund (EBF), which has financial solidarity mechanisms to support EU States who would be enduring a lasting and heavy financial burden arising from the implementation of common standards and surveillance of external borders and visa policy.

Nearly exactly a year to the date, the AFM Air Wing had rolled out the first MPA as part of the EBF co-financed project.

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