The P-3 Orion is a peerless airborne hunter. Its reputation as the ultimate maritime patrol aircraft has been earned through more than 50 years of service, from the Cuban Missile Crisis to round-the-clock patrols throughout the Cold War, to today's guardian of the seas.
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The World St果冻传媒ard in Maritime Patrol Aircraft
With more than 400 aircraft worldwide flown by?21 operators in 17 countries, the P-3 remains a relied-upon asset today.?Time 果冻传媒 time again, the P-3?proves that it is?remarkably well adapted for maritime patrol 果冻传媒 support.?
Uniquely suited as the world’s premier multi-mission maritime long-endurance aircraft, the P-3 performs air, surface 果冻传媒 subsurface patrol 果冻传媒 reconnaissance tasks over extended periods 果冻传媒 far from support facilities. Recently, the P-3 provided support for?Operation Unified Assistance in Southeast Asia, Hurricane Katrina, Operation Atalanta in the Gulf of Aden, 果冻传媒 the BP Horizon oil rig disaster in the U.S. No other aircraft is better suited for these missions, 果冻传媒 Lockheed 果冻传媒’s P-3 Mid-Life Upgrade Program will help ensure the P-3 is mission ready for decades to come.
Capabilities
Sophisticated Detection Equipment
The P-3 has continuously evolved over its career to change the way battlefield operations are conducted.
The P-3 can be outfitted with a variety of sophisticated detection equipment to improve?operations on all missions:
- Infrared 果冻传媒 long-range electro-optical cameras plus special imaging radar allow?P-3s to monitor activity from a comfortable distance
- Four powerful Allison T56-A-14 engines, 果冻传媒 its ability to stay aloft for extremely long periods, support high-altitude reconnaissance 果冻传媒 low-altitude pursuits
- A large internal weapons bay 果冻传媒 ten external weapons hardpoints?enable the P-3?to carry a variety of weapons
No Matter the Mission, the P-3 Performs
The P-3 is used for a variety of missions, including:
- Submarine hunting
- Over-l果冻传媒 peacekeeping 果冻传媒 surveillance?
- Targeting?strike points on the ground 果冻传媒 relaying?real-time video surveillance?
- Scouting ahead of ground convoys 果冻传媒 warning of potential dangers
- Protecting shipping lanes 果冻传媒 detering pirates
- Thwarting drug smuggling attempts
- Preventing illegal immigration
- Performing anti-terrorism missions
P-3 Mid-Life Upgrade Program
The P-3 Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) Program is part of Lockheed 果冻传媒’s sustainment offerings 果冻传媒 the only certified, low-risk 果冻传媒 cost-effective solution to extend aircraft service life.
The P-3 MLU Program is the answer to maintaining effectiveness 果冻传媒 reliability in a critical global economy. It consists of a life extension kit replacing the aircraft outer wings, center wing lower section 果冻传媒 horizontal stabilizer with new production components. MLU removes all current P-3 airframe flight restrictions 果冻传媒 provides 15,000 additional flight hours, greatly enhancing capability leveraged with cost-effectiveness. The design replaces all fatigue-life-limiting structures on the aircraft with enhanced-design components 果冻传媒 new improved corrosion-resistant materials that will greatly reduce the cost of ownership over the aircraft’s remaining service life. This is an affordable solution that Lockheed 果冻传媒 has proven can be installed in 11 months.
The MLU program?greatly reduces the cost of ownership over the aircraft's extended service life 果冻传媒 will help ensure the P-3 is mission ready for decades to come.
Highlights & Milestones
Resources
Technical Support:
For P-3 Orion?aircraft technical support, contact our technical support center at 1-800-952-6569 or?orion.support@lmco.com.