Lockheed P-3C Orion

Mission

Four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft.

Background

In February 1959, the Navy awarded Lockheed a contract to develop a replacement for the aging P2V Neptune. The P3V Orion, derived from Lockheed’s successful L188 Electra airliner, entered the inventory in July 1962, and more than 30 years later it remains the Navy’s sole land-based antisubmarine warfare aircraft. It has gone through one designation change (P3V to P-3) and three major models: P-3A, P-3B, and P-3C, the latter being the only one now in active service. The last Navy P-3 came off the production line at the Lockheed plant in April 1990.

Features

The P-3C is a land-based, long-range, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) patrol aircraft. It has advanced submarine detection sensors such as directional frequency and ranging (DIFAR) sonobuoys and magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) equipment. The avionics system is integrated by a general purpose digital computer that supports all of the tactical displays, monitors and automatically launches ordnance and provides flight information to the pilots. In addition, the system coordinates navigation information and accepts sensor data inputs for tactical display and storage. The P-3C can carry a mixed payload of weapons internally and on wing pylons.

Specifications

Official DesignationP-3C Orion
Primary RolesAntisubmarine warfare(ASW)/Antisurface warfare (ASUW)
National OriginUSA
Original ContractorLockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems Company
OperatorUnited States Navy, United States Customs Service
Wingspan99 feet, 6 inches (30.36m)
Length116 feet, 7 inches (35.57m)
Height at Tail33 feet, 7 inches (10.27m)
Armament20,000 pounds (9 metric tons) of ordnance including: Harpoon (AGM-84D) cruise missile, SLAM (AGM-84E) missiles, Maverick (AGM 65) air-to-ground missiles, MK-46/50 torpedoes, rockets, mines, depth bombs, and special weapons
EnginesFour Allison T-56-A-14 turboprops
Horsepower4,900 shp each
Cruise Speed403 mph (644km/h)
Max Speed466 mph (745km/h)
Range2,380 nm
Service Ceiling28,300 feet (8,625m)
Operating WeightUnknown
Max Takeoff Weight139,760 pounds (63,394kg)
Basic Crew11
Date Deployed1969
Total in ServiceUnknown