96-571: The Lockheed EP-3 is an electronic signals reconnaissance variant of the P-3 Orion , primarily operated by the United States Navy . A total of 12 P-3C aircraft were converted to replace older versions of the aircraft, which had been converted in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The aircraft is known by the acronym ARIES, or "Airborne Reconnaissance Integrated Electronic System". and has Signals intelligence (SIGINT) capabilities. SIGINT
192-585: A People's Liberation Army Navy J-8II jet fighter-interceptor resulted in an international dispute between the U.S. and the People's Republic of China (PRC). More than 40 P-3 variants have demonstrated the type's rugged reliability, commonly flying 12-hour plus missions 200 ft (61 m) over water. Versions were developed for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for research and hurricane hunting/hurricane wall busting, for
288-485: A 24-hour period, or 2,000 sq mi (5,200 km ) in a single sweep. Using the radar in inverse synthetic aperture mode, the MFAS can identify a target in all weather conditions. It can take high definition radar pictures, then use the advanced image and radar return recognition software of the onboard Automatic Identification System (AIS) to classify it without the intervention of aircraft operators. The Triton
384-731: A P-3C which had early success when on its fifth mission detected a pirate whaler with two attack skiffs. Since 2009, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has deployed P-3s to Djibouti for anti-piracy patrols, from 2011 from its own base. The German Navy has also periodically contributed a P-3 to address the piracy problem. Several P-3s have been N-registered and are operated by civilian agencies. The US Customs and Border Protection has several P-3A and P-3B aircraft that are used for aircraft intercept and maritime patrol. NOAA operates two WP-3D variants specially modified for hurricane research. One P-3, N426NA,
480-543: A Pakistani Naval station in Karachi. In June 2011, the U.S. agreed to replace the destroyed aircraft with two new ones. In February 2012, the U.S. delivered two additional P-3Cs to the Pakistan Navy. On 18 November 2016, during tensions with India, the Pakistan Navy dispatched various ASW units, including P-3Cs, in response to reports of an Indian Navy submarine that was allegedly loitering in close proximity to
576-547: A U.S. EP-3 at a distance of several feet. In a separate incident, on 5 November 2018, a U.S. EP-3 was again claimed to have been closely passed in international airspace by a Russian Su-27. On 19 July 2019, a U.S. EP-3 was "performing a multi-nationally recognized and approved mission in international airspace" over the Caribbean Sea, when a Venezuelan Su-30 aggressively shadowed it at an unsafe distance. Boeing has started working on an unscheduled replacement aircraft,
672-534: A U.S. Navy P-3B of VP-26 was downed by anti-aircraft fire in the Gulf of Thailand with the loss of the entire crew. Two months earlier in February 1968, another one of VP-26's P-3Bs was operating in the same vicinity when it crashed with the loss of the entire crew. Originally attributed to a low altitude mishap, later conjecture is that this aircraft may have also fallen victim to anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) fire from
768-450: A common "picture" of the battlespace, which it can rebroadcast. This capability greatly increases interoperability, situational awareness, targeting efficiency, and sensor picture clarity, while providing an alternative to satellite-based communications systems. The MQ-4C Triton performed its first flight on 22 May 2013 from United States Air Force Plant 42 / Palmdale Regional Airport , California. The flight lasted 1 hour 20 minutes and
864-619: A multi-INT ( SIGINT ) capability will be fielded in 2021 as part of an integrated functional capability (IFC) 4 configuration; further changes are planned for IFC 5 upgrade in 2024. Another aspect of the MQ-4C is its ability to act as a network relay and data fusion center, able to receive and transmit messages from around a theater of operations between various sources not within line-of-sight of each other. It can take what ships, planes, and land sensors are seeing and broadcasting through various data-links and fuse that information together to create
960-588: A pre-approved instrument route along the southern U.S. border, crossing the Gulf of Mexico and Florida, then was directed north along the Atlantic coast and up the Chesapeake Bay, a distance of 3,290 nmi (3,790 mi; 6,090 km) at 50,000 ft (15,000 m) to avoid commercial air traffic. A test fleet of three Tritons completed 15 flights demonstrating speed and altitude capabilities prior to
1056-518: A revised total program of record procurement of 27 aircraft. Australia has considered the MQ-4C, both as a military platform and as customs enforcement platform; senior customs officials have doubted the effectiveness of the planned seven MQ-4Cs to detect small boats in the country's northern waters, especially through cloud cover. In 2013, Air Marshall Geoff Brown , head of the Royal Australian Air Force , stated that Australia
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#17327808503661152-530: A similar complementary fashion as with U.S. Navy operations, where the MQ-4C performs high-altitude broad area maritime surveillance missions, allowing the P-8A to be more dedicated to anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, search and rescue response, and electronic intelligence missions. The Australian Government confirmed in its 2016 Defence White Paper that the Royal Australian Air Force
1248-526: A successful, unauthorized emergency landing at Lingshui airfield on Hainan island, where the two J-8II fighters involved in the incident had been based. At least 15 distress signals from the Orion had gone unanswered. The crew and the plane were subsequently detained by Chinese authorities because of the death of the Chinese pilot. After several days of interrogations, the crew was repatriated separately to
1344-1009: A test center in California, an oceanographic development squadron in Maryland, and two active duty "special projects" units in Maine and Hawaii, the latter being slightly smaller than a typical squadron. In fiscal year 1995, the U.S. Navy planned to reduce active-duty patrol squadrons from sixteen to thirteen—seven on the East Coast, six on the West. The patrol squadrons planned to survive were VP-8, 10, 11, and 26 at NAS Brunswick , Maine, and VP-5 , 16, and 45 at NAS Jacksonville , Florida. The Pacific squadrons that were to be retained were VP-1, 4, 9, and 47 at Barbers' Point, Hawaii, and 40 and VP-46 at NAS Whidbey Island , Washington. Thus Patrol Squadrons 17, 23, 24, and 49 were to be disestablished, and
1440-462: A total of 2,000 hours before reaching initial operating capability. The second MQ-4C Triton model flew on 16 October 2014, 17 months after the first model's first flight. It is being prepped to perform the cross-country flight later in the month that the first aircraft performed the previous month. A third model is also being prepared to start flights; the third was planned to be funded by the Navy but
1536-730: Is an American high-altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed for and flown by the United States Navy and Royal Australian Air Force as a surveillance aircraft . Together with its associated ground control station , it is an unmanned aircraft system (UAS). Developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) program, the Triton is intended to provide real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions (ISR) over vast ocean and coastal regions, continuous maritime surveillance, conduct search and rescue missions, and to complement
1632-449: Is primarily used for pinpointing the location of a submarine immediately prior to a torpedo or depth bomb attack. Due to the sensitivity of the detector, electromagnetic noise can interfere with it, so the detector is placed in P-3's fiberglass tail stinger (MAD boom), far from other electronics and ferrous metals on the aircraft. The crew complement varies depending on the role being flown,
1728-516: Is semi-autonomous to conserve manpower, so operators only need to choose an operating area for the aircraft, and set speed, altitude, and objective rather than operating controls. One thing the Triton was designed to do (that the Global Hawk cannot) is rapidly descend to lower altitudes. It is built with a more robust lower fuselage to withstand hail, bird, and lightning strikes. It is equipped with anti-icing systems on its wings. At low altitude,
1824-559: Is the interception of signals, whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication (electronic intelligence—abbreviated to ELINT). The EP-3E generally has a crew of 24, including linguists, cryptographers and technicians. The squadrons that flew the EP-3E also flew the Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star from 1962 to 1974 and
1920-486: Is used by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as an Earth science research platform, primarily for the NASA Science Mission Directorate 's Airborne Science Program; it is based at Goddard Space Flight Center 's Wallops Flight Facility , Virginia . Aero Union, Inc. operated eight secondhand P-3As configured as air tankers, which were leased to the U.S. Forest Service ,
2016-625: The Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. Triton builds on elements of the RQ-4 Global Hawk ; changes include reinforcements to the airframe and wing, de-icing systems, and lightning protection systems. These allow the aircraft to descend through cloud layers to gain a closer view of ships and other targets at sea. The sensor suites help track ships by gathering their speed, location, and classification. The MQ-4C System Development and Demonstration (SDD) aircraft
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#17327808503662112-614: The Boeing P-8 Poseidon , a Boeing 737 variant, which entered service in 2013. The P-3 has an internal bomb bay under the front fuselage , which can house conventional Mark 50 torpedoes or Mark 46 torpedoes and/or special ( nuclear ) weapons. Additional underwing stations, or pylons, can carry other armament configurations, including the AGM-84 Harpoon , AGM-84E SLAM , AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER, AGM-65 Maverick , 127 millimetres (5.0 in) Zuni rockets , and various other sea mines , missiles, and gravity bombs. The aircraft also had
2208-663: The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and other agencies for firefighting use. Several of these aircraft were involved in the U.S. Forest Service airtanker scandal but have not been involved in any catastrophic aircraft mishaps. Aero Union has since gone bankrupt, and their P-3s have been put up for auction. Over the years, numerous variants of the P-3 have been created. A few notable examples are: [REDACTED] United States [REDACTED] Pahlavi Iran Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton
2304-583: The Douglas EA-3B Skywarrior from 1960 to 1991. There are 11 EP-3Es in the Navy's inventory, the last of which was delivered in 1997. On 1 April 2001, an aerial collision between a United States Navy EP-3E ARIES II, a signals reconnaissance version and a People's Liberation Army Navy Shenyang J-8II fighter resulted in an international incident between the United States and China . Operating about 70 miles (110 km) away from
2400-513: The EP-3 Aries signals intelligence (SIGINT) variant at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. In January 2011, the U.S. Navy revealed that P-3s have been used to hunt down "third generation" narco-submarines . This is significant because as recently as July 2009, fully submersible submarines have been used in smuggling operations. As of November 2013, the US Navy began phasing out
2496-961: The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II or the Lockheed S-3 Viking . Similar patrol aircraft include the Soviet Ilyushin Il-38 , the French Breguet Atlantique and the British jet-powered Hawker Siddeley Nimrod (based on the de Havilland Comet ). The first production version, designated P3V-1, was launched on 15 April 1961. Initial squadron deliveries to Patrol Squadron Eight ( VP-8 ) and Patrol Squadron Forty-Four (VP-44) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River , Maryland, began in August 1962. On 18 September 1962,
2592-652: The L-188 Electra commercial airliner; it is easily distinguished from the Electra by its distinctive tail stinger or "MAD" boom, used for the magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) of submarines . Over the years, the P-3 has seen numerous design developments, most notably in its electronics packages. Numerous navies and air forces around the world continue to use the type primarily for maritime patrol , reconnaissance , anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare. A total of 757 P-3s have been built. In 2012, it joined
2688-559: The Strait of Hormuz near Kuhmobarak in Iran's southern province of Hormozgan . Iran claimed it was in their airspace, while the U.S. claimed it was in international airspace. Fox News cited an alleged anonymous U.S. official as a source that the drone had been an MQ-4C Triton, but the U.S. Central Command later confirmed it was a BAMS-D, a prototype version of the RQ-4A drone, developed during
2784-549: The U.S. 7th Fleet in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, and U.S. Fleet Forces Command in western Atlantic operations. In 2014, the Navy will activate a second Triton squadron, VUP-11, to take over operations in the Pacific in support of U.S. 7th Fleet and share U.S. 5th Fleet operations with VUP-19. On 17 November 2015, the MQ-4C began a two-month operational assessment that will determine Milestone C approval and
2880-1090: The U.S. Customs Service (now U.S. Customs and Border Protection ) for drug interdiction and aerial surveillance mission with a rotodome adapted from the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye or an AN/APG-66 radar adapted from the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon , and for NASA for research and development. The U.S. Navy remains the largest P-3 operator, currently distributed between a single fleet replacement (i.e., "training") patrol squadron in Florida (VP-30), 12 active duty patrol squadrons distributed between bases in Florida, Washington and Hawaii, two Navy Reserve patrol squadrons in Florida and Washington, one active duty special projects patrol squadron (VPU-2) in Hawaii, and two active duty test and evaluation squadrons. One additional active duty fleet reconnaissance squadron (VQ-1) operates
2976-493: The piston-engined Lockheed P2V Neptune (later redesignated P-2) and Martin P5M Marlin (later redesignated P-5) with a more advanced aircraft to conduct maritime patrol and antisubmarine warfare. Modifying an existing aircraft should save on cost and to allow rapid introduction into the fleet. Lockheed suggested a military version of its L-188 Electra , then still in development and yet to fly. In April 1958, Lockheed won
Lockheed EP-3 - Misplaced Pages Continue
3072-800: The "Decade in the Desert", Navy P-3Cs patrolled combat zones in the Middle East and Southwest Asia. From the start of the war in Afghanistan, U.S. Navy P-3s operated from Kandahar in that role. Royal Australian Air Force AP-3Cs operated out of Minhad Air Base in the UAE from 2003 until their withdrawal in November 2012. Between 2008 and 2012, AP-3Cs conducted overland intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tasks in support of coalition troops across Afghanistan. The United States Geological Survey used
3168-518: The 7 January 1991 commencement of Operation Desert Storm , a P-3C equipped with an APS-137 Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) conducted coastal surveillance along Iraq and Kuwait to provide pre-strike reconnaissance on enemy military installations. A total of 55 of the 108 Iraqi vessels destroyed during the conflict were targeted by P-3Cs. The P-3's mission expanded in the late 1990s and early 2000s to include battlespace surveillance both at sea and over land. The long range and long loiter time of
3264-964: The EP-X program would be delayed rather than started in that year. On 1 February 2010, President Obama unveiled his proposed budget for 2010. This budget called for, among other things, canceling the EP-X program. After the cancellation of the EP-X Program, the U.S. Navy has planned to replace the EP-3E Aries II with the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft and the MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned helicopter. All P-3 Orion aircraft assigned to special projects squadrons (VPU) and all EP-3E Aries II aircraft are expected to fully retire by 2025. Data from Encyclopedia of world military aircraft Vol.2, Jane's All
3360-596: The EP-X, based on their 737. On 16 August 2009, The Navy issued an "EP-X Analysis of Alternatives " that called for "information useful for the execution of the Electronic Patrol-X (EP-X) program which will recapitalize the EP-3E aircraft to provide tactical, theater, and national level Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting (ISR&T) support to Carrier Strike Groups and to Theater, Combatant, and National Commanders." On 23 September 2009, leaked Navy budget documents for FY2011 revealed that
3456-821: The IIAF was renamed the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF). They were used in the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War . A total of four P-3Fs remain in service. Three P-3C Orions, delivered to the Pakistan Navy in 1996 and 1997 were operated extensively during the Kargil conflict . After the crash of one with the loss of an entire crew, the type was grounded; nonetheless, the aircraft were maintained in an armed state and airworthy condition throughout
3552-607: The MQ-4C Triton and become its first foreign customer. The announcement was made at RAAF Base Edinburgh , the base of the country's fleet of eighteen AP-3C Orion aircraft it will replace. The Triton buy is part of the Australian Defence Force's Project Air 7000 two-phase Orion replacement program; Phase 1B entails procuring the Triton, and Phase 2B was the acquisition of eight to twelve manned P-8A Poseidons in 2017. RAAF Tritons and Poseidons will be used in
3648-639: The MQ-4C is rumored to be the main contender for the initial capability. In January 2015, the German Luftwaffe began considering the Triton to fill their signals intelligence needs as a continuation of the cancelled Global Hawk-based EuroHawk program. After the retirement of the German Navy 's five Br.1150 Atlantique aircraft in 2010, the EuroHawk was intended to fill the SIGINT gap, but
3744-401: The MQ-4C to replace the EuroHawk program, with deliveries occurring after 2025. The German government has decided to purchase several modified Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft modified for the role instead of the Triton after officials became convinced that the Global Hawk derivatives would be unable to meet the safety standards needed for flying through European airspace. Manned aircraft like
3840-561: The Navy awarded Northrop Grumman a $ 9.98 million contract for maintenance and support of the MQ-4C SDD aircraft to enable it to fly 15 missions per month, an increase from 9 per month as previously planned, with senior Navy commanders wanting to keep closer surveillance of activities in the ocean and coastal regions of the Middle East. The Navy began considering in September 2014 cutting the number of Tritons it plans to buy. The intention
3936-564: The Navy to defer integrating it onto the aircraft. The Navy and Northrop Grumman are working to determine when the sense-and-avoid system can be included into the production line. The Navy restarted the competition for a sense-and-avoid radar for the Triton in November 2014 with less ambitious requirements, including the ability to use data from ground radars as it approaches an airport, and a modular and scalable design that can be incrementally improved to meet evolving future operational and air traffic management requirements. On 6 September 2013,
Lockheed EP-3 - Misplaced Pages Continue
4032-513: The Orion to survey parts of southern and eastern Afghanistan for lithium, copper, and other mineral deposits. Several U.S. Navy P-3Cs, and two Canadian CP-140 Auroras , a variant of the Orion, participated in maritime surveillance missions over Libyan waters in the framework of enforcement of the 2011 no-fly zone over Libya. A U.S. Navy P-3C supporting Operation Odyssey Dawn engaged the Libyan coast guard vessel Vittoria on 28 March 2011 after
4128-784: The P-3 Orion. Project A-NEW was the engineering system, which after several early trials, produced the engineering prototype, the CP-823/U , Univac 1830 , Serial A-1, A-NEW MOD3 Computing System. Univac delivered the CP-823/U to the Naval Air Development Center at Johnsville, Pennsylvania, in 1965; this directly led to the production computers later equipped on the P-3C. Three civilian Electras were lost in fatal accidents between February 1959 and March 1960. Following
4224-637: The P-3 in favor of the newer and more advanced Boeing P-8 Poseidon. In May 2020, Patrol Squadron 40 completed the transition to the P-8, marking the retirement of the P-3C from U.S. Navy active duty service. The last of the active-duty P-3Cs, aircraft 162776, was also delivered to the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida . Two Navy Reserve squadrons, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 30 and One Active duty Squadron ( VQ-1 ) continued to fly
4320-535: The P-3 proved to be an invaluable asset during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom , being able to instantaneously provide the gathered battlespace information to ground troops, particularly the U.S. Marines. Although the P-3 is a MPA, armament and sensor upgrades in the Anti-surface Warfare Improvement Program (AIP) have made it suitable for sustained combat air support over land. In what became known as
4416-514: The P-3C. By July 2023, only VQ-1 and VXS-1 continued to operate variants of the P-3C, with the retirement of VQ-1's EP-3E Aries II fleet expected in 2025. In October 1962, P-3As flew several blockade patrols in the vicinity of Cuba. Having only joined the operational Fleet earlier that year, this event marked the first employment of the P-3 in a real world "heightened threat" situation. Beginning in 1964, forward deployed P-3s began flying various missions under Operation Market Time from bases in
4512-520: The PPC or TACCO will be designated as the aircraft Mission Commander (MC). Once on station, one engine is often shut down (usually the No. 1 engine – the left outer engine) to conserve fuel and extend the time aloft and/or range when at low level. It is the primary candidate for loiter shutdown because it has no generator. Eliminating the exhaust from engine 1 also improves visibility from the aft observer station on
4608-554: The PRC island province of Hainan Island, the EP-3 was intercepted by two J-8II fighters. One of the J-8IIs collided with it. The J-8II crashed into the sea and the pilot, Lt. Cdr. Wang, was seen to eject after the collision. His body was never recovered and he was declared dead. The EP-3 came close to becoming uncontrollable, at one point sustaining a nearly inverted roll, but was able to make
4704-480: The Pacific in fiscal 2017. The tests evaluated the MQ-4C's key sensors – an active electronically scanned array radar, an electro-optic/infrared camera and a hydrocarbon detector – over different altitudes and ranges, analysing the "system's ability to classify targets and disseminate critical data", according to Northrop. In 2013, the U.S. Navy noted quality control issues in the MQ-4C's wings, which Northrop Grumman stated to have fixed by 2016. On 12 December 2019,
4800-546: The Philippines and Vietnam. The primary focus of these coastal patrols was to stem the supply of materials to the Viet Cong by sea, although several of these missions also became overland "feet dry" sorties. During one such mission, a small caliber artillery shell passed through a P-3 without rendering it mission incapable. The only confirmed combat loss of a P-3 also occurred during Operation Market Time. In April 1968,
4896-421: The Southern territorial waters of Pakistan in the Arabian Sea . This submarine was swiftly intercepted by the Navy Orions and forced away from the territorial boundaries. The Spanish Air Force deployed P-3s to assist the international effort against piracy in Somalia . On 29 October 2008, a Spanish P-3 patrolling Somalia's coast reacted to a distress call from an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden ; it overflew
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#17327808503664992-410: The Triton would use its Raytheon MTS-B multi-spectral EO / IR sensor (also used on the MQ-9 Reaper ) which is equipped with additional laser designator , pointer , and range finding abilities capable of automatically tracking what the MFAS detects. The optical suite can stream live video to ground forces. The Triton is equipped with a modular electronic support measures (ESM) suite, similar to
5088-449: The U.S. Navy stated that one of its RQ-4A Global Hawk aircraft had been damaged during a takeoff in the Middle East in November 2019. The craft, which cost $ 123 million in 2015, was estimated by USNI to be valued at $ 180 million by 2019. On 26 January 2020, VUP-19 deployed the MQ-4C for the first time, with two aircraft sent to Anderson AFB in Guam. On 20 June 2019, Iran 's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down an RQ-4A drone in
5184-431: The U.S. military transitioned to a unified designation system for all services, with the aircraft being renamed the P-3 Orion. Paint schemes have changed from early 1960s, gloss seaplane gray and white to mid-1960s/1970s/1980s/early 1990s gloss white and gray, to mid-1990s flat-finish low-visibility gray with fewer and smaller markings. In the early 2000s, the paint scheme changed to its current overall gloss gray finish with
5280-440: The United States while the aircraft remained in China, reportedly taken apart for research on American intelligence technology. Although the crew attempted to destroy as much classified material, hardware, and software on the aircraft as possible prior to the emergency landing, there is little doubt that the EP-3 was exploited by Chinese intelligence services. An American team was later permitted to enter Hainan in order to dismantle
5376-424: The World's Aircraft 1984–85 General characteristics Performance Avionics Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Lockheed P-3 Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on
5472-422: The administrative control of Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing ELEVEN (CPRW-11) at NAS Jacksonville, where an MQ-4C mission control facility is also under construction, and will initially operate the Triton on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions for the U.S. 5th Fleet in the Southwest Asia/Middle East/East Africa region, the U.S. 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic,
5568-408: The aircraft reached an altitude of 20,000 ft. On 6 January 2014, Northrop Grumman announced that the MQ-4C had completed 9 test flights with 46 hours of flight time. Half of its envelope expansion testing, which included evaluating the aircraft at different altitudes, speeds, and weights, had been completed. Some flights lasted over 9 hours and reached 50,000 ft. A second Triton aircraft
5664-534: The aircraft's poor reputation in an era in which turboprop-powered aircraft were being replaced by faster jets. In military roles that valued fuel efficiency more than speed, the Orion remained in service for over 50 years after its 1962 introduction. Although surpassed in production longevity by the Lockheed C-130 Hercules , 734 P-3s were produced through 1990. Lockheed Martin opened a new P-3 wing production-line in 2008 as part of its Service Life Extension Program (ASLEP) for delivery in 2010. A complete ASLEP replaces
5760-399: The aircraft, which was subsequently airlifted on board two of Russia's Polet Airlines Antonov An-124 Ruslan back to the United States for reassembly and repair. This incident is fictionally portrayed in the TV Series JAG: Season 7, Episode 9 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0613245/?ref_=ttep_ep9 On 29 January 2018, a near accident was reported on the Black Sea, when a Russian Su-27 passed
5856-402: The capability to carry the AGM-12 Bullpup guided missile until that weapon was withdrawn from U.S./ NATO /Allied service. The P-3 is equipped with a MAD in the extended tail. This instrument is able to detect the magnetic anomaly of a submarine in the Earth's magnetic field. The limited range of this instrument requires the aircraft to be near the submarine at low altitude. Because of this, it
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#17327808503665952-515: The coalition air campaign's start, "Outlaw Hunter" detected a large number of Iraqi patrol boats and naval vessels attempting to move from Basra and Umm Qasr to Iranian waters. "Outlaw Hunter" vectored in strike elements which attacked the flotilla near Bubiyan Island , destroying 11 vessels and damaging scores more. During Desert Shield, a P-3 using infrared imaging detected a ship with Iraqi markings beneath freshly-painted bogus Egyptian markings trying to avoid detection. Several days before
6048-471: The competition and was awarded an initial research-and-development contract in May. Lockheed modified the prototype YP3V-1/YP-3A, Bureau Number (BuNo) 148276 from the third Electra airframe c/n 1003. The first flight of the aircraft's aerodynamic prototype, originally designated YP3V-1, took place on 19 August 1958. While based on the same design philosophy as the Electra, the aircraft differed structurally; it had 7 feet (2.1 m) less fuselage forward of
6144-467: The envisioned Global 6000 are allowed to routinely fly alongside civilian traffic. The MQ-4C can remain aloft more than 30 hours at 55,000 ft (17,000 m) at speeds of up to 330 knots (380 mph; 610 km/h). Its surveillance sensor is the AN/ZPY-3 Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) X-band AESA radar with a 360-degree field-of-regard, capable of surveying 2,700,000 sq mi (7,000,000 km ) of sea (as well as shoreline or land) in
6240-463: The escalation period of 2001 and 2002. During 2007, they were used by the navy to conduct signals intelligence, airborne and bombing operations in a Swat offensive and Operation Rah-e-Nijat . Precision and strategic bombing missions were carried out by the P-3Cs; intelligence management operations were also conducted against Taliban and al-Qaeda operatives. On 22 May 2011, two out of the four Pakistani P-3Cs were destroyed in an attack on PNS Mehran ,
6336-488: The future to meet a RAAF requirement for six to seven of the type. No. 9 Squadron was re-raised to operate the Tritons in June 2023, ahead of the expected delivery of the RAAF's first Triton in 2024. The first RAAF Triton arrived in Australia on 16 June 2024. Northrop Grumman has also proposed the MQ-4C to India; the Indian Navy have considered the UAV in a complementary role to the twelve Boeing P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft it has on order. On 20 July 2014 there
6432-423: The handful of military aircraft including the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress , Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker , and Lockheed C-130 Hercules that the United States military has been using for more than 50 years. In the twenty-first century, the turbofan-powered Boeing P-8 Poseidon began to supplement, and will eventually replace, the U.S. Navy's P-3s. In August 1957, the U.S. Navy called for proposals for replacement of
6528-435: The historic "Replacement Air Group" nomenclature) were located in California and Florida. The since-deactivated VP-31 in California provided P-3 training for the Pacific Fleet, while VP-30 in Florida performed the task for the Atlantic Fleet. These squadrons were also augmented by a test and evaluation squadron in Maryland, two additional test and evaluation units that were part of an air development center in Pennsylvania and
6624-411: The left side of the aircraft. On occasion, both outboard engines can be shut down, weight, weather, and fuel permitting. Long, deep-water, coastal, or border-patrol missions can last over 10 hours and may include extra crew. The record time aloft for a P-3 is 21.5 hours, undertaken by the Royal New Zealand Air Force 's No. 5 Squadron in 1972. Developed during the Cold War , the P-3's primary mission
6720-500: The one used on the Lockheed EP-3 , to passively detect and classify faint radar signals. It is able to triangulate and geo-locate these signals, allowing mission planners to create an enemy "electronic order of battle" profile, or keep the aircraft and others outside the range of enemy radars and air defenses. Detecting and locating the source of radar signals would also be useful for locating military vessels at sea for potential targeting. Low- and high-band signals receivers to give it
6816-432: The original full-sized color markings. However, large-sized BuNos on the vertical stabilizer and squadron designations on the fuselage remained largely omitted. In 1963, the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Naval Weapons contracted Univac Defense Systems Division of Sperry Rand to engineer, build, and test a digital computer (a device then in its infancy) to interface with the many sensors and newly developing display units of
6912-508: The outer wings, center-wing lower section, and horizontal stabilizers with newly built parts. In the 1990s, the U.S. Navy attempted to procure a successor aircraft to the P-3, and selected the improved P-7 over a naval-specific variant of the twin turbofan-powered Boeing 757 , but this program was subsequently cancelled. In a second program to select a replacement, the advanced Lockheed Martin Orion 21, another P-3-derived aircraft, lost out to
7008-534: The pirate vessels three times, dropping a smoke bomb on each pass, as they attempted to board the tanker. After the third pass, the pirates broke off their attack. On 29 March 2009, the same P-3 pursued the assailants of the German navy tanker Spessart (A1442) , resulting in the pirate's capture. In April 2011, the Portuguese Air Force also contributed to Operation Ocean Shield by sending
7104-527: The remaining units were to operate nine aircraft instead of eight, augmented by VP-30 and the nine-at-the-time USNR P-3 squadrons. Reconnaissance missions in international waters led to occasions where Soviet fighters would "bump" a P-3, either operated by the U.S. Navy or other operators such as the Royal Norwegian Air Force . On 1 April 2001, a midair collision between a United States Navy EP-3E ARIES II signals surveillance aircraft and
7200-554: The same source as the April incident. On 2 August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and was poised to strike Saudi Arabia. Within 48 hours of the initial invasion, U.S. Navy P-3Cs were among the first American forces to arrive in the area. One was a modified platform with a prototype over-the-horizon targeting (OTH-T) system package known as "Outlaw Hunter"; it had been undergoing trials in the Pacific after being developed by Tiburon Systems, Inc. for NAVAIR's PMA-290 Program Office. Within hours of
7296-511: The sensors in the same place, gondolas hung under the wings, which limited attempts to put them on other airframes due to reception problems with nearby engine placement. With icing and lightning-strike protection already included, the MQ-4C would have a better chance of achieving safety certification to fly over inhabited areas of Europe that previously ended the EuroHawk. The German Defence Ministry confirmed in March 2017 that it had decided to buy
7392-585: The start of low-rate initial production . In February 2016 the U.S. Navy confirmed that the MQ-4C had completed Operational Assessment, putting the Triton in line to achieve a Milestone C decision in spring 2016, leading to low rate production. An integrated test team made up of Navy personnel from Air Test and Evaluation Sqdns. VX-1 and VX-20, Unmanned Patrol Sqdn., VUP-19 and Northrop Grumman demonstrated Triton's reliability over approximately sixty flight hours. The Navy's fiscal 2017 budget request includes 19 MQ-4 Tritons through fiscal 2021, with first deployment to
7488-459: The system will also be stationed at Andersen Air Force Base , Guam. In August 2013, the Navy paused the development of the "sense and avoid" radar system that would enable the MQ-4C to avoid other aircraft. The Triton would have been the first unmanned aircraft to be fitted with such a system, but the system was behind schedule and over budget. The radar system remains a requirement in the program, but budgetary and technology pressures have forced
7584-483: The third crash, the FAA restricted the maximum speed of Electras pending determination of the causes. After an extensive investigation, two of the crashes (those of September 1959 and March 1960) were identified as due to insufficiently strong engine mounts, unable to damp a whirling motion that could affect the outboard engines. When the oscillation was transmitted to the wings, a severe vertical vibration escalated, tearing off
7680-422: The transcontinental mission. With the completion of the cross-country flight, the MQ-4C program transitions from initial safety flight testing to validating its ability to perform operational missions over the ocean. Operations from Patuxent River in the coming weeks will test the aircraft's sensors, communications, interoperability, and expanded envelope flight coverage. The three test Tritons are scheduled to fly
7776-600: The variant being operated, and the country that is operating the type. In U.S. Navy service, the normal crew complement was 12 until it was reduced to its current complement of 11 in the early 2000s when the in-flight ordnanceman position was eliminated as a cost-savings measure and the ORD duties assumed by the in-flight technician. Data for U.S. Navy P-3C only. Officers: NOTE: NAVCOM on P-3C only; USN P-3A and P-3B series had an NFO Navigator (TACNAV) and an enlisted Airborne Radio Operator (RO) Enlisted aircrew: The senior of either
7872-609: The vessel and eight smaller craft fired on merchant ships in the port of Misrata , Libya. The Orion fired AGM-65 Maverick missiles on Vittoria , which was subsequently beached. Lockheed produced the P-3F variant of the P-3 Orion for Pahlavi Iran . Six examples were delivered to the former Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) in 1975 and 1976. Following the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the Orions continued in service, after
7968-452: The wings with an opening bomb bay, and a more pointed nose radome , a distinctive tail "stinger" for detection of submarines by MAD, wing hardpoints, and other internal, external, and airframe-production technique enhancements. The Orion has four Allison T56 turboprops , which give it a top speed of 411 knots (761 km/h ; 473 mph ) comparable to the fastest propeller fighters, or even to slow high-bypass turbofan jets such as
8064-651: The wings. The company implemented a costly modification program, labelled the Lockheed Electra Achievement Program, which strengthened the engine mounts and the wing structures supporting the mounts, and replaced some wing skins with thicker material. At its own expense, Lockheed modified all surviving Electras of the 145 built at that time, the process taking 20 days for each aircraft. These changes were incorporated into subsequent aircraft as they were built. The Electra's sales were limited as Lockheed's technical fix did not completely erase
8160-612: Was a rumor that the UK planned to purchase a minimum eight MQ-4Cs to replace the cancelled BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 after defence chiefs stated that the UK's nuclear deterrent Trident may have been compromised to the Russians. In the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 there was no such mention of a buy and that report is negated. Norway will develop and operate maritime surveillance drones from Andøya Air Station , and
8256-512: Was acquired for the U.S. Navy as a Department of Defense Acquisition Category (ACAT) 1D program and on 22 April 2008, Northrop Grumman received the BAMS contract worth $ 1.16 billion. Lockheed Martin filed a formal protest with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) two weeks later. On 11 August 2008 the GAO upheld the Navy's selection of Northrop Grumman. In September 2010, the BAMS aircraft
8352-512: Was cancelled in May 2013 after spending €600 million ($ 750 million) from concerns of its ability to satisfy airworthiness regulations to permit flight over civil airspace in Europe. With about half of the investment on the electronic intelligence and communications intelligence sensors, Germany is trying to get some form of the program into service. Using the Triton would ease integration by keeping
8448-620: Was considering purchasing more manned P-8A Poseidon aircraft and reducing the number of MQ-4Cs planned to be bought for the RAAF. On 16 February 2014, it was reported that the Australian government would seek the purchase of seven Tritons; in addition to locating ships and aircraft, it would also be used to detect seaborne asylum seekers. Alongside the P-8A, the MQ-4C is to replace the elderly AP-3C Orion fleet. On 13 March 2014, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced Australia's intention to buy
8544-524: Was delivered in 2012 and the MQ-4C was expected to be operational with the US Navy by late 2015 with a total of 67 aircraft to be procured for the US Navy. Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the MQ-4C was achieved in 2018 with Full Operating Capability (FOC) planned in 2023. Australia has ordered four Tritons, with the first entering service in June 2024. The competitors for the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) contract included: The BAMS UAS
8640-490: Was designated the MQ-4C. During the official unveiling ceremony on 14 June 2012 at Palmdale, California, Navy officials announced that the aircraft had been named Triton. The first flight of the MQ-4C—aircraft Bureau Number (BuNo) 168457—occurred on 22 May 2013, followed by test flights at Edwards Air Force Base , California, and Naval Air Station Patuxent River , Maryland. Initial operational capability (IOC)
8736-528: Was lost to budget cuts, so Northrop Grumman decided to self-fund production of the third prototype. On 7 February 2013, the U.S. Navy announced that it would initiate the Unmanned Patrol Squadron Nineteen (VUP-19) at NAS Jacksonville, Florida on 1 October 2013, to eventually operate the MQ-4C as the Navy's first Triton squadron. A detachment of VUP-19 will also be established at NAS Point Mugu, California. VUP-19 will fall under
8832-596: Was planned for December 2015 but slipped to 2017. The U.S. Navy planned to buy 68 MQ-4Cs and 117 P-8As to replace its aging P-3C Orions . About 40 MQ-4Cs will be based at various sites, predominantly home stations or overseas deployment sites for Navy P-8A and P-3C aircraft. This includes an unspecified location in Hawaii (most likely MCAS Kaneohe Bay ); NAS Jacksonville , Florida; Kadena Air Base , Japan; NAS Point Mugu , California, and NAS Sigonella , Italy. The Air Force Times reported on 14 September 2012, that
8928-401: Was to acquire seven MQ-4C Triton aircraft as part of its "Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance capability stream". On 26 June 2018, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the purchase of the first of six MQ-4C Tritons with consideration being given to purchase a seventh. As of 2023, Australia had placed orders for four Tritons. A further two or three may be ordered in
9024-481: Was to fly by March or April 2014. Initial envelope expansion testing was completed in March 2014 through 13 flights, 81 flight hours, and reaching altitudes of 59,900 ft. On 18 September 2014, the Triton successfully conducted an 11-hour cross-country flight from Northrop Grumman's Palmdale, California facility to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. The cross-country flight test had been previously postponed twice due to bad weather. The aircraft flew
9120-559: Was to have 20 MQ-4C aircraft operational at any one time, with the rest of the 68-plane order force being spares. In September 2015, the DoD Inspector General found the 70-aircraft force requirement justified. But the Navy decided in May 2023 to reduce the number of MQ-4C aircraft it would procure. The number of deployment sites was reduced from five to three, reducing the number of Tritons required to 12. Another 15 will be available for attrition, training, and maintenance for
9216-806: Was to localize Soviet Navy ballistic missile and fast attack submarines detected by undersea surveillance systems and eliminate them in the event of full-scale war. At its height, the U.S. Navy's P-3 community consisted of twenty-four active duty "Fleet" patrol squadrons home based at air stations in the states of Florida and Hawaii as well as bases which formerly had P-3 operations in Maryland, Maine, and California. There were also thirteen Naval Reserve patrol squadrons identical to their active duty "Fleet" counterparts, said Reserve "Fleet" squadrons being based in Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan, Massachusetts (later relocated to Maine), Illinois, Tennessee, Louisiana, California and Washington. Two Fleet Replacement Squadrons (FRS), also called "RAG" squadrons (from
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