Norway - Air Force Lockheed P-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a maritime patrol aircraft of numerous militaries around the world, used primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine warfare. The P-3 Orion, originally designated P3V, based on the Lockheed L-188 Electra, which met limited success as a turboprop airliner competing against emerging pure jets. It served as the replacement for the postwar era P-2 Neptune. The Orion is powered by 4 turboprops which give it a speed comparable to fast propeller powered fighters, or even slow turbofan jets such as the A-10. Most other similar patrol aircraft use this model, with Soviets adapting their own counterpart to the Electra. The P-3 also competes with the British Nimrod adaptation of the Comet and the French Breguet Atlantique. Experience with the P-3 helped with the S-3 Viking carrier-borne ASW jet. The P-3 has an internal bomb bay under the front fuselage, as well as underwing stations which can carry missiles such as the AGM-84 Harpoon. It has a long 'stinger' in the tail which houses the magnetic anomaly detector (MAD), and convex windows for observation. Sonobuoys can be dropped from externally loaded tubes, or from inside the fuselage. The first production version, designated P3V-1, first flew 15 April 1961, but by the time the first deliveries were made in 1962, the unified designation system made this the P-3. Paint schemes have changed from overall postwar blue, to 1960s white and grey, and 1980s low viz gray. Over the years many variants have been developed. The technology of the P-3 is similar to the larger, slower, and more successful C-130 Hercules transport. Similar versions have been developed for hurricane hunting, and aerial surveillance with a rotodome adapted from the E-2 Hawkeye. Despite higher performance, the P-3 has not been adapted into gunship or ground attack precision attack platform, aerial refueling tanker, or attempted a carrier landing like the C-130. The P-3 Orion has found special use as an earth-scien
Size: 5630px × 3724px
Location: RAF Kinloss Morayshire Grampian Region Scotland UK Europe
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 333, :, antisubmarine, built, contractor, function, lockheed, primary, squadron, unit:, vingtor., warfare, øya
