Building on the legacy of the iconic long-range WW2 Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat, the Florida-based startup Catalina Aircraft Company is developing a state-of-the-art amphibious aircraft designed for transport, maritime patrol, search and rescue and firefighting operations.
Worldwide, governments and emergency-response organisations face increasingly complex access challenges. Coastal communities, island nations, remote regions, disaster-affected areas, and maritime operating zones require aviation platforms that can move people, supplies, equipment, and mission systems without depending on traditional airfield infrastructure.
Catalina Aircraft Company has announced that it has adopted the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) across the avionics and mission-systems architecture of its Catalina SPAR programme, aligning its FAA Part 25 transport category amphibious aircraft platform with the acquisition strategy required of major defence systems by the US Department of Defence (DoD), which in September 2025 began using the secondary title Department of War.
The Catalina Aircraft Company’s engineering team is aligning avionics software with the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) Technical Standard and evaluating SOSA and HOST open architectures for sensor and embedded-computing payloads. This approach lets mission systems and payload configurations be upgraded or replaced independently of the certified airframe, reducing integration risk and avoiding unnecessary regression testing or recertification as the platform evolves and new operator requirements emerge.
The aircraft will feature hybrid bow and stern thrusters, marine gyro stabilisation, aerial refuelling capability, rear cargo/airdrop ramp and hard points for 680 kg external fuel tanks. Powered by two turboprops, it will have a maximum design speed of 350 kts (565 km/hr) and a range of up to 3,200 nm (5,926 km)
The proposed military mission variants of the Catalina include the Petrel for ASW, ISR, AWACS, EO-IR and ESM; the Kestrel for maritime patrol and search and rescue; the Orkan for military transport and medevac, and the Condor for firefighting.
by David Oliver
