P-3 Orion

The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a patrol aircraft of the United States military used primarily for anti-submarine warfare.

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.

Variants

• P-3A: original production version, 157 built
• P-3A (CS): four with better radar, for US Customs
• EP-3A: seven modified for electronic reconnaissance testing
• NP-3A: three modified for US Naval Research Laboratory
• RP-3A: two modified for scientific uses, for Oceanographic Development Squadron at NAS Patuxent River
• TP-3A: 12 modified for training, ASW gear removed
• UP-3A: 38 used as utility transports, ASW gear removed
• VP-3A: three WP-3As and two P-3As converted into VIP, staff transports
• WP-3A: four converted for weather reconnaissance
• P-3B
• EP-3B
• NP-3B
• P-3C
  • Update I
  • Update II
  • Update II.5
  • Update III
  • Update IV
• EP-3C
• NP-3C
• RP-3C
• UP-3C
• RP-3D
• WP-3D
• EP-3E Aries
• EP-3E Aries II
• NP-3E
• P-3F
• P-3G
• P-3H
• EP-3J': two modified from P-3A's for FEWSG use
• P-3K: five delivered to New Zealand
• P-3N
• P-3P
• P-3W
• P-3AEW&C
• CP-140 Aurora
• CP-140A Arcturus