The Republic of China

Navy (RoCN) is to
P-3 Orion: in operational service for 50 years receive its first P-3C
Orions in 2013. Their

Second life on first aircraft, here seen

with temporary USN
markings, successfully
completed its first test

brandnew wings flight in late July 2012.

It’s the first time a new
operator is receiving
By Marco P.J. Borst refurbished
secondhand Orions
with new wings.
Fifty years ago, on 13 August 1962, Kiwi pioneers
(photo: Colin Clark)
the Lockheed P3V-1 Orion was The P-3 Orion’s limitations were in the
taken in use for operational service aircraft’s structure components like its
by US Navy Patrol Squadron Eight wings and horizontal stabilizers, which
(VP-8). While the US Navy is were affected by fatigue stress and
preparing for the operational corrosion after 20-25 years of
introduction of the Orion’s intensive use. These potential
successor, other P-3 operators are problems had already been
investing in life extension programs recognized by the Royal New Zealand
for their existing or new P-3 fleets. Air Force in the nineties. Intensively
They are to continue the success flying a fleet of 1966 built P-3 Orions,
story of the Mighty Orion. the RNZAF launched a fatigue
analysis program in 1993. The results
Since its introduction in 1962, the P-3 of this program were remarkable:
Orion mission systems suite has where USN P-3s were retired at a
constantly been improved. Today, the fatigue life index between 60 and 80
USN’s P-3C AIP+ with the latest on a scale of 100, the New Zealand
additions such as C4ASW wich Orions were found to be at a fatigue
incorporates the International Marine / life index of 135 already! Since New
Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT) and Zealand did not have the funds to
Link 16 Line of Sight and Over the replace its fleet of six P-3K Orions with
Horizon, features state-of-the-art new aircraft, other options were
mission equipment. The operational investigated. This lead to a service life
capabilities of today’s P-3 are more or extension program, known as "Project
less equal to those of its replacement Kestrel", which started in 1997 when
in the US Navy, the Boeing P-8A aircraft NZ4204 arrived at the Celsius
Poseidon. Hawker Pacific facility at Richmond,
 P-3 Wing production at
Lockheed’s Burbank
facility in 1967. The same
tooling is now being used
to build new outer wings
in Marietta.

(photo: Lockheed Martin)

Australia. Under "Kestrel" the outer The pioneer for a Lockheed Martin
wings, horizontal stabilizer and center program which started in February
wing lower panels were replaced. 2007, ten years after the start of
Furthermore, the engine nacelles were Project Kestrel. Before that, in
refurbished, new electrical wiring in the December 2001, Lockheed Martin and
wings was installed and a fuel dump Vought Aircraft Industries teamed up
capability was added. The new outer with plans for the production of new P-
wings were built by Daewoo Heavy 3 outer wings in Dallas (TX). Assembly
Industries in Changwon, South Korea, and detail tooling was relocated from
the company that was initially Changwon, Korea to Dallas but
contracted to manufacture the wings despite the success story of replacing
for eight P-3C Orions built for the the wings of P-3K Orions in New
Korean navy. Daewoo, under contract Zealand, Vought did not build any P-3
by Lockheed Martin, made use of the wings. But Lockheed Martin did not
original wing production tooling which give up its plans. All wing tooling was
was used at Lockheed’s Burbank refurbished by Pioneer in Texas under
facility until 1977, when tools were a contract from Lockheed Martin. The
moved to Canadair in Canada where outer wing production plan was put
the production of P-3 wings started in before a Lockheed Martin Strategic
1978. Canadair continued to Sourcing Board which then decided to
manufacture P-3 wings until 1990. On in-source the wing production to
10 October 1998 the first "Kestrel" Marietta, GA. The tools were
aircraft succesfully completed test relocated again, this time to Marietta.
flying and it was soon returned in All tools were completely refurbished,
operational service. The project was modernized and re-mastered upon
completed in 2001 and added another setup and where economically
25 years to the P-3K Orion's technical feasible, new tools were made to take
life time. advantage of modern manufacturing
practices. In addition modern
New P-3 wing production production technologies and lessons
Without realizing it, the RNZAF was learned were used from F-22 and C-
130J production programs. The which included re-winging. Where, in
assembly line flow was re-configured New Zealand’s “Kestrel” program, the
based on lean enterprise principles. In standard P-3C wings were used to re-
November 2005, after extensive wing a fleet of P-3B airframes, the
research during its Structural Life wings built for the current programs
Assessment Program (SLAP), the are redesigned which resulted in
company announced that it would improved corrosion resistance and
open a P-3 wing production line at its fatigue life enhancements. The old
Marietta (GA) facility. Fifteen months problems won’t come back within the
later, in February 2007, Lockheed same time frame, so the life extension
Martin announced the launching might easily be for a longer period
customer for new P-3 wings: the than the 20-25 years Lockheed Martin
government of Norway signed a is advertising with.
contract to buy new wings for the six
Royal Norwegian Air Force P-3C and P-3: the affordable alternative
P-3N Orions. It lasted until April 2008 Defence budgets in many countries
before a second customer, the US are under pressure and we have
Lockheed Martin is
Customs and Border Protection, already seen some countries cutting manufacturing
contracted with Lockheed Martin off their entire MPA capabilities. The brandnew P-3
ordering six all-new production wing Netherlands and the United Kingdom replacement wings at
kits. To date, CBP has placed firm do not operate any Maritime Patrol its Marietta GA facility,
using both the original
orders for 14 life extension kits. A total Aircraft anymore. For The Netherlands tooling and new
of 73 wing sets have been ordered by this was a final decision: the Royal technologies.
five P-3 operators: Norway, US Netherlands Navy will never operate Installation of the new
Customs and Border Protection, US any manned MPA’s anymore. The UK wings is being done by
Lockheed Martin in
Navy, Canada and Taiwan. The latter still seems to be looking for
Greenville SC, IMP
is about to introduce the P-3C Orion replacements for their Nimrods, but a Aerospace in Halifax
as a replacement for the Republic of tight budget prevents the British (Canada) and the
China Navy’s S-2T Trackers. Their first government from buying new MPA’s. USN’s FRCS at NAS
of twelve secondhand Orions recently Re-winged and upgraded P-3 Orions Jacksonville.

left the Lockheed Martin Greenville from desert storage might be an (photo: Lockheed
facility after a complete modernization affordable solution for the Royal Air Martin)
Force. And other existing P-3 More improvements
operators, like Greece, Portugal, Additional existing programs, like
Spain, Germany and even Australia fitting glass cockpits, as well as new
(which now is showing interest in the programs under development can
P-8A) might be looking at buying new further rejuvenate the old lady and
wings for their existing Orion fleets make her ready for a few more
since their national defence budgets decades of patrolling both over seas
will most likely never bring the and over land. Lockheed Martin is
purchase of Boeing P-8A Poseidons currently working on the introduction of
within reach. Not alone the purchase winglets and engine modifications for
of a fleet of P-8’s is highly expensive, lower fuel consumption, increased
additional costs of flight and electrical power generation and bomb
maintenance crew training, tooling, bay mounted supplemental cooling
ground equipment and to improve systems for mission systems avionics.
infrastructure of airfields cannot Even after 50 years of successful
compare to the costs of continued operation, the Lockheed Martin P-3
operation with an existing fleet of P-3 Orion still is the world’s martime patrol
Orions fitted with new wings and new workhorse and will continue to work on
mission suites.. the frontlines for decades to come

One of Norway’s P-3N

Orions is receiving its
new wings at IMP
Aerospace in Halifax,
Canada.The airframe
is over 40 years old,
the new wings add
another 20 years life
time

(photo: IMP)

wing sets wing sets

Customer ordered delivered

Norway 6 4
Canada 10 6
US Customs 14 7
US Navy 31 18
Taiwan 12 7

total 73 42

As of August 2012