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| P-3 Orion | ||
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 Larger version | ||
| Description | ||
| Role | ||
| Crew | ||
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | ||
| Wingspan | ||
| Height | ||
| Wing area | ||
| Weights | ||
| Empty | ||
| Loaded | ||
| Maximum take-off | ||
| Powerplant | ||
| Engines | ||
| Power | ||
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | ||
| Combat range | ||
| Ferry range | ||
| Service ceiling | ||
| Rate of climb | ||
| Armament | ||
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| Bombs | ||
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a patrol aircraft of the United States military used primarily for anti-submarine warfare.
The P-3 Orion is based on the Lockhead L-188 Electra. 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.
Over the years, many variants have been developed.
The P-3 Orion has found special use as an earth-science suborbital research platform for NASA. Known as callsign; NASA 426, this aircraft is located at Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Island Flight Facility, Virginia.
Primary Function: Antisubmarine warfare(ASW)/Antisurface warfare (ASUW)Variants
General Characteristics
Contractor: Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems Company
Unit Cost: $36 million
Propulsion: Four Allison T-56-A-14 turboprop engines (4,900 shaft horsepower each)
Length: 116 feet 7 inches (35.57 meters)
Wingspan: 99 feet 6 inches (30.36 meters)
Height: 33 feet 7 inches (10.27 meters)
Weight: Max gross take-off: 139,760 pounds (63,394.1 kg)
Speed: maximum - 411 knots (466 mph, 745 kmph); cruise - 328 knots (403 mph, 644 kmph)
Ceiling: 28,300 feet (8,625.84 meters)
Range:Maximum mission range - 2,380 nautical miles (2,738.9 miles);
for three hours on station at 1,500 feet - 1,346 nautical miles (1,548.97 miles)
Crew: 11
Armament: 20,000 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
Date Deployed: First flight, November 1959; Operational, P-3A August 1962 and P-3C August 1969
