P-3 Orion Research Group

Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion Worldwide News Section

Starting in March 2012 the contents of this news section have slightly changed. Next to this we used to publish a news section in Dutch language in PDF format every four months. The P-3 Orion Worldwide News Section was not updated very often. We decided to stop publishing the Dutch PDF news section and start publishing it in English as an integrated part of the website instead, starting in March 2012. This means that the news section on this website will now be refreshed every four months. Of course we will publish "breaking news" whenever something happens.

United States
Lockheed Martin has delivered the fourth P-3 Orion with new Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) modifications to the US Customs and Border Protection two months ahead of schedule on January 20, 2012. The MLU installation and phase depot maintenance (PDM) at Lockheed Martin’s Greenville facility were completed in 11 months. N769SK is the first P-3B LRT involved. The recent budget cuts may also affect this program. So far seven MLU updates are planned, but cutting back the size of the CBP fleet is an option.

After the ending of the US involvement in Iraq, Orion deployments are getting back to the old situation. At NAS Sigonella in Italy VP-47 (RD) is on TDY since December 2011 with at least seven Orions, while it also maintains a detachment at Camp Lemonier in Djibouti. Since January 2012 the squadron also had a detachment at NS Rota, Spain. 159323 was seen at Rota on February 12. During the Iraqi war only one or two Orions were present at Sigonella. So far the following Orions have been seen: 157319, 158225, 159322, 159323, 159329, 159507, 160287, 162315 and 162316. The latter was probably replaced by 158571 during February.

A P-3C Orion aircrew from VP-47 helped rescue sixty-eight Somali migrants adrift on a raft in the Mediterranean Sea in the night of 15 January 2012. The aircrew dropped relief supplies and contacted nearby vessels to render assistance and returned to Sigonella after an eleven-hour mission

As reported before VP-1 (YB) is on TDY at NAF Misawa in Japan since December 2011. Additionally it was revealed that VP-1 also maintains a detachment at BA Comalapa in El Salvador, replacing VP-45. Orions noted so far in Japan are: 161338, 161590, 162998, 163000 and 158567 on loan from VP-16.

At NAF Kadena in Japan the following Orions of VP-16 (LF) have been seen: 158567, 159885, 160283, 160610, 161012, 161126 and 161333. In January 2012 the squadron participated in an exercise in Thailand (SEASURVEX) 2012. The CO Orion 161333 was present at the Singapore Airshow 14 -19 February, while on February 25^th VP-16 P-3C, 160283, was seen arriving at RAAF base Pearce in Australia.

At the start of 2012 it was announced that VP-30 (LL) at NAS Jacksonville was assigned 17 P-3C Orions. Although the first P-8A Poseidon was delivered in March, the number of P-3 Orions will remain stable until at least 2013. The first squadron to train on the new Poseidon will be VP-16, starting in July 2012 when the squadron has returned from its present deployment at NAF Kadena.
VP-5 will be the second squadron to start transiting, when it returns from its upcoming deployment in December 2012.

The latest P-3C version with the C4 for ASW modification has now been named AIP+. BuNo 158564 has also received these modifications.

The three Orions which were given a special colour scheme for the Centennial of Naval Aviation will keep the paint job until they will be retired to AMARG. The aircraft came from re-work with gallons of paint to do any repairs and are required by the custody squadron to be maintained with the centennial paint job.

In a recent interview in Sea Power Journal it was announced that the EP-3E and P-3 SPA (Special Project Aircraft) will not be replaced. The Navy plans to leverage on what is called a “family of systems:” several platforms, both manned and unmanned, so everything from MQ-4C Broad-Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) unmanned aerial system to the UCLASS (Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike) system to the VTUAV (Vertical Takeoff Unmanned Air Vehicle) - which, right now, is Fire Scout - the P-8s, MH-60s, E-2Ds are going to be equipped with sensors and they all will contribute to a mission that is currently produced with the EP-3E and the SPA.

On February 2^nd the company PMI (Plant & Machinery Inc) offered the aircraft, spare parts and intellectual property of Aero Union for sale to the highest bidder. This included eight P-3 Aerostars, and the bidding started on February 28^th. Offers over fifty million US dollars are accepted. An unconfirmed report states that Con Air, a Canadian company, may possibly buy the P-3 Aerostars from Aero Union and base them in Seattle. It has now emerged that Aero Union moved their aircraft from Chico to McClellan Airfield in Sacramento, starting in the fall of 2010.

From 14-26 February 2012, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States took part in the exercise Proud Manta 2012. Apart from 5 submarines and 12 surface ships some 10 ASW planes from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Norway and USA took part in this exercise, which took place in the Ionian Sea to the southeast of Sicily. Germany and Norway each sent a P-3C while Canada sent 2 CP-140.

Technicians at the US Navy Fleet Readiness Center Southeast at NAS Jacksonville, Florida, completed the installation of the first new set of wings on a Navy P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft in November 2011. This first P-3 was inducted into the modification line in January 2011 and is scheduled for redelivery in early 2012.

Brazil
On December 16th, 2011 newly modified P-3AM 7202 made its first flight at Getafe airfield in Spain. Early February 2012 P-3AM 7204 was first reported outside at Getafe.

Late January 2012 a P-3A destined for Brazil, and on its way to Spain, had to be flown to the former NAS Brunswick in order to have some repairs done. This may well be BuNo 152173 which we expected to be delivered in November 2011, but which had not been reported in Spain so far.

Canada
The Royal Canadian Air Force received its very first MLU CP-140 Aurora 140112 on 9th December 2011 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They accepted delivery of the airplane from IMP Group Limited, Aerospace Division. The completion of ASLEP modifications on 140112 is the second major milestone achieved this autumn in the CP-140 Aurora’s midlife upgrade. On September 27, 2011, the first Block III-modified CP-140 Aurora, 140114, was delivered to 14 Wing at Greenwood. The Block III modifications are the final round of upgrades made to the Auroras’ mission computer system through the Aurora Incremental Modernization Project (AIMP), which was initiated in 1998.

Germany
The German P-3C contributing to operation Atalanta has returned to Nordholz from Djibouti after being replaced by a German frigate in December 2011. On January 26^th a German P-3C Orion was heard on Mocton center calling German Navy 4529 direct to CFB Greenwood. Late February a German Orion participated in the NATO Exercise Proud Manta 2012 operating out of NAS Sigonella

Japan
On 25th January, two Japanese P-3C Orions were seen at Andersen AFB, Guam. Both aircraft were probably en-route to Djibouti: (5081) P-3C JMSDF, 2 Kokutai JNY81 and (5098) P-3C JMSDF, (2 Kokutai) JNY98.

Japan has opened a military base in Djibouti on July 7th 2011. It is the first base outside the national territory of the Land of the Rising Sun since the end of the Second World War. The base will be used to help combat piracy off the coast of the Horn of Africa. Around 180 Japanese military will be stationed at the base on the northern side of the main international airport in the capital, Djibouti City. On July 1^st 2011 the Japanese government also extended the JMSDF’s anti-piracy mission off Somalia, which was scheduled to end on July 23. Japanese forces first arrived in Djibouti in 2009 and have been stationed at Camp Lemonnier, the U.S. military base on the southern side of the same airport.

Due to the deteriorating situation in Iran, the Japanese government, announced late February 2012 it is now studying how to respond if and when the Strait of Hormuz, between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, is blockaded. It has begun feasibility studies on a plan to engage the Maritime Self-Defense Force's P-3C patrol planes, already dispatched for antipiracy missions in waters off Somalia in East Africa, in warning and surveillance activities.

Norway
4576, the second P-3N Orion with new wings, returned from Canada on 17^th February 2012. The crew used the radio call sign NOW333, which is the same call sign as the P-3C which flew to NAS Sigonella on February 13^th, for participation in the NATO exercise Proud Manta.

Pakistan
In December 2011 Lockheed Martin received a firm-fixed-price contract modification in support of the Pakistan P-3 Upgrade Program (PUP). This modification includes Phase Depot Maintenance Phase I for aircraft 159505; removal and replacement of engines for aircraft 159505 and 159511, and support costs associated with a schedule extension to the PUP Plus effort. Work will be performed in Greenville, SC (65%), and Owego, NY (35%), and is expected to be completed in May 2013.

P-3C PUP 89 (ex 160289) was reported at NAS North Island, Ca, on February 4^th, 2012. This was the delivery flight to Pakistan, as it was seen in Australia on February 11^th. P-3C PUP 88 (ex 159508) has also been delivered through Australia on February 9^th. Both were last reported with LM in Greenville, SC. A report on the internet confirms that three aircraft (85, 86 and 90) are still at Greenville for updates.

Spain
In December 2011 P.3-08 was the first EdA P-3M to be painted in a new grey colour scheme, which resembles the US Navy grey. However it has been confirmed that it is a special purpose celebration only livery. The repainting was done by Iberia at Madrid Barajas airfield.

Taiwan
As off December 2011 six P-3C Orions have departed AMARG by road, en route to Greenville SC. As to the departure dates of the Orions from AMARG it is good to know that aircraft are removed from the inventory list as soon as they are taken out of storage. However this does not also mean that the aircraft have actually left Davis Monthan. Aircraft are being worked on for departure and this may sometimes take several months. The modification of the first aircraft destined for Taiwan will be well under way and this should occur sometime in 2012. However the delivery date of this first Orion to 133 Air Group in The Republic of China will be in 2013. There have been reports of an additional three Orions which would be modified to EP-3E configuration. Our sources do not confirm this.