P-3 Orion Research Group

Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion Worldwide News Section

United States
Since 1963 the US Navy has operated a total of 556 P-3 Orions. Sixty years later only 15 remain active.

VQ-1 has three P-3C BMUP for training duties, which fly out of NAS Whidbey Island, WA, along with seven EP-3E Aries II. The squadron no longer has a detachment at Kadena AB in Japan, after the last EP-3E departed Kadena late 2023. It does however have single plane detachments at NS Souda Bay in Greece and Shaik Isa AB in Bahrain. During March EP-3E 159893 replaced 156517 at Shaik Isa and in April EP-3E 161410 replaced 156529 at Souda, and that may well have been the very last deployment. During the farewell ceremony for the former Ranger 23 / PR36 / BuNo 157316 on 28 March the CO announced that there will be a squadron stand-down in October 2024, while the actual decommissioning of VQ-1 will be in March 2025.

VX-30 operates three P-3C and a single NP-3C out of NAS Point Mugu, CA, although the NP-3C has not been reported recently. In July 2023 VX-30 held a 60th birthday celebration for Bloodhound 341. It is the oldest P-3 in the Navy.

VXS-1 still has two NP-3C flying out of NAS Patuxent River, MD.

In April 2024 the US Navy operated the following (16) P-3’s:
VQ-1     161405, 161414, 161588 and
            156511, 156517, 156529, 159887, 159893, 161410, all EP-3E
VX-30   150521, 160293, 162999, 163291
VXS-1   158570, 158912

So far in 2024 one EP-3E has been flown to Davis-Monthan AFB for storage at AMARG: 156528.

In April 2024 it was fifty years ago for the first Harpoon missile launch. This launch was organized by VX-1 using P-3A 150525 of the Naval Missile Centre operating out of NWS Point Mugu.

Argentina
The contract for the acquisition of the four P-3s from Norway was signed on 17 October. Early December 2023 the first P-3C (3299) for the Argentine Navy was taken out of storage at Davis Monthan. However, the hand over and the delivery flight had to be postponed, because the necessary payment by the Argentinian Government had not taken place in December 2023. On 28 March Defense Minister Luis Petri confirmed that the initial payment of 10million USD for the four P-3C/N Orions has been made. The Minister also said, that the aircraft will be arriving in the coming months. Due to the delay in the incorporation of the P-3C/N Orions the Naval Aviation Command continues with the plan to return the Grumman S-2T Turbo Trackers to service, aiming to reinforce patrol and exploration capabilities. Currently, the Argentine Navy only has Beechcraft B-200 aircraft available for maritime patrol and Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, considering that the last S-2T Turbo Tracker in service (registration 2-AS-23) is not operational, and the sole P-3B 6-P-56 is undergoing maintenance at FAdeA, with its return to service estimated in the first half of 2024.

Australia
One of the two remaining AP-3C(EW) A9-660 was deployed to Clark AB in the Philippines from 20 to 29 November 2023.

On 5 December 2023, No. 10 Squadron conducted the final flights of the AP-3C(EW) A9-657 and A9-660, bringing to a close 55 years of P-3 operations by the Royal Australian Air Force. With the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Robert Chipman AM, CSC on board, both aircraft departed RAAF Base Edinburgh for separate, scenic flights. A9- 660 did a nice flight down to Melbourne for a few hours while A9-657 did a coastal run down to Streaky Bay and back. With a PC21 as a chaser for some photos 660 and 657 did a separate low-level approach past the tower and then came in for a full stop landing. Upon their return, both aircraft were met by a water cannon salute, before shutting down their engines for the final time. Both aircraft will be stripped and scrapped.

P-3C VH-ORI (A9-753) of HARS (Historical Aircraft Restoration Society) has had an annual maintenance check so she can be flying again. However, to save the aircraft in an airworthy state the decision had to be made to repaint the aircraft in a gloss finish but still the grey as she was when it arrived on 12 December 2016. Donations are most welcome.

Brazil
During the FIDAE air show, which was held 9-14 April in Santiago, Chile, an officer of the Brazilian Air Force announced that the air force has started looking for options to replace its P-3AM Orions beginning in 2031. A decision about the replacement is set to be made by 2026. At the same air show Embraer announced to study on a maritime patrol variant of its C-390 Millennium as a possible candidate for Brazil’s Orion replacement.

Canada
Early January 2024 IMP at Halifax, NS announced the arrival of CP-140M 140101 for the Block IV update. It was the twelfth Aurora to receive this update.

Chile
The Chilean Navy has an agreement with the Centro de Estudios Cienti´ficos, CECs which involves the use of a P-3ACH for monitoring the thickness of the ice and the movements of the atmosphere in order to register the effects of climate change in Antarctica.

Germany
P-3C 60+08 was delivered from Nordholz to Beja on 6 February partly in Portuguese markings with the serial 24817, followed on 1 March by P-3C 60+06 with the new serial 24815.

P-3C CUP 60+03 was present at RAF Northolt for the annual night photoshoot which took place on 7 March. A week later 60+03 was on a long-range navigation trip via Lajes to NAS Key West, FL and back.

The German Navy will receive eight P-8A Poseidons from October this year. In order to at least partially cover the range of tasks of this aircraft type in the transition phase, the German ministry of defence wants to keep the two MLU P-3C’s 60+03 and 60+04 in operational service until their planned end of service life in 2025. Due to a decree from the ministry, the useful life of the Orions was set at the end of 2025 with a resulting reduction in the size of the fleet due to early decommissioning or expiring airworthiness licenses.

In April 2024 the situation of the German P-3C Orions was the following:
60+01 wfu Nordholz; will go to the museum at Nordholz
60+02 wfu Manching stored with WTD.61
60+03 operating out of Nordholz
60+04 operating out of Nordholz
60+05 wfu stored at Nordholz
60+06 delivered to Portuguese air force at Beja as 24815 on 1 March
60+07 wfu stored at Nordholz
60+08 delivered to Portuguese air force at Beja as 24817 on 9 February
60+22 will be gate guard at Nordholz

Greece
In December 2023 the magazine Air Forces Monthly published a list of the oldest military aircraft still flying in Europe. Sixth on the list are the P-3B Orions of the Greek Air Force.

P-3B 152744 was one of many aircraft which participated in the annual fly-past over Athens on 25 March. This event is to commemorate the anniversary of the 1821 War of Independence. So far no news on the other Greek P-3B to be modified.

International
From 23 February until 8 March several participants for the exercise Dynamic Manta were present at NAS Sigonella, including CP-140M 140116 of 14 Wing and P-3C CUP 60+04 of Mfg.3. This maritime exercise led by Allied Maritime Command focuses on practicing submarine warfare and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) war fighting capabilities. On its way back 140116 had a problem with an engine during a stopover at Prestwick Airfield.

Japan
In January the Military Aviation Review published a review of the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force which included the following P-3 Orion squadrons:
Dai 2 Kokugun (Hachinohe) Dai 2 Kokutai Dai 21 Hikotai P-3C
Dai 22 Hikotai P-3C
Dai 5 Kokugun (Naha) Dai 5 Kokutai Dai 51 Hikotai P-3C
Dai 52 Hikotai P-3C
Dai 31 Kokugun (Iwakuni) Dai 81 Kokutai Dai 811 Hikotai EP-3, OP-3C
   Dai 812 Hikotai UP-3D, U-36A
Dai 51 Kokutai (Atsugi)    Dai 511 Hikotai P-1, UP-1,
       P-3C, UP-3C
Shimofusa Kyoiku Kokugun (Shimofusa)    Dai 203 Kyoiku Kokutai P-3C

A latest count resulted in a total number of 35 P-3C’s in service with these squadrons.

New Zealand
P-3K2 NZ4203 has been reassembled after its epic trip from RNZAF Base Woodbourne to Wigram, Christchurch in 2023. It was on public display during the Orion Open days from in April at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.

Norway
Early January the Norwegian Minister of Defence visited the Norwegian Aviation Museum in Bodo. During which visit he formally announced that P-3C 3296 will be shipped from Andøya to Bodo this summer for display in the museum.

In April the situation of the Norwegian Orions was:
154576 4576 P-3N    08sep22 AMARG; sold to Argentina
156603 6603 P-3N      apr21 SOC; to be gate guard at Andøya
163296 3296   P-3C UIP apr21 SOC; for Norwegian Aviation Museum
163297 3297   P-3C UIP 20jun23 AMARG; sold to Argentina
163298 3298   P-3C UIP 17mar23 AMARG; sold to Argentina
163299 3299   P-3C UIP 28jul23 AMARG; sold to Argentina

Pakistan
P-3C PUPs 82 and 89 were among the aircraft which participated in the annual fly-past over Islamabad on 17 March 2024. In March 2022 the participants were 80 and 86.

Portugal
In November 2023 P-3C CUP+ 14810 of 601 Sqn was operating out of NAS Sigonella to conduct maritime situational awareness as part of NATO Operation Sea Guardian in the Mediterranean. After a deployment of a month P-3C CUP+ 14810 returned to Beja AB on 15 December 2023. For a month, the Wolves of Squadron 601 were deployed in Italy, as part of “Operation IRINI23”. During the deployment the P-3C CUP+ carried out 330 flight hours, identified around 1200 refugees among the 110 thousand contacts of interest detected. At the same time, this Force supported NATO through Operation “Sea Guardian”, which aimed to promote the security of the Mediterranean in order to guarantee freedom of navigation and situational knowledge of the area.

The first former German Navy P-3C (60+08) was flown to Beja AB on 9 February. All German markings had been removed and only a Portuguese flag and serial 24817 were applied on the tail fin. The second aircraft (60+06) arrived at Beja on 1 March with serial 24815. The other four German P-3’s destined for Portugal are 60+03 (to be 24812), 60+04 (to be 24813), 60+05 (to be 24814) and 60+07 (to be 24816).

P-3C CUP+ 14810 participated in the annual Africa Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP) operation in the Gulf of Guinea from 4 March to 3 April. The 37 military personnel from Squadron 601 operated from São Tomé and Princípe, airport.

On 27 March P-3C CUP+ 14808 arrived back at AB 11 near Beja after a Block 1 upgrade by IMP Aerospace & Defence at Halifax in Canada which took some six months. 14808 has received new IFFT and Link 16 systems and is the first of five P-3C CUP to be upgraded. The upgrades to Portugal’s P-3C fleet are modeled on modernizations that General Dynamics Mission Systems - Canada provides to the Royal Canadian Air Force.

South Korea
From 8-24 January 2024 P-3C 950906 took part in a US Navy led Multinational Joint Crisis Exercise. Other participants were a Japanese P-1 and P-8A from Australia, India and the US Navy