Lockheed P-3 Orion – Fotografije & Video

V Lockheed P-3 Orion je štirimotorno turboprop protimorninsko in pomorsko nadzorno letalo, razvito za mornarico Združenih držav Amerike in uvedeno v 60. letih 20. Lockheed je temeljil na L-188 Electra komercialnem letalu. Letalo se od Electre zlahka razloči po svoji distinktivni ztingerji za rep ali "MAD Boom", ki se uporablja za magnetno odkrivanje podmornic.

Vir: Lockheed P-3 Orion na Wikipediji

The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop aircraft that was designed for maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare missions. It is derived from the Lockheed L-188 Electra, a commercial airliner that was not very successful due to the emergence of jet-powered competitors. The P-3 Orion has a distinctive tail boom that houses a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) for locating submerged submarines. It also has a bomb bay and wing hardpoints for carrying various weapons and sensors.
The P-3 Orion first flew in 1959 and entered service with the United States Navy in 1962. It replaced the older Lockheed P2V Neptune and Martin P5M Marlin aircraft that were powered by piston engines. The P-3 Orion has undergone several upgrades and modifications over the years, enhancing its electronics and capabilities. It can carry missiles, torpedoes, bombs, sonobuoys, and other equipment for detecting and attacking surface and underwater targets.
P-3 Orion je še vedno v aktivni službi z več mornaricami in letalskimi silami po vsem svetu, čeprav je star več kot 60 let. Izkazalo se je, da je vsestranska in zanesljiva platforma za pomorski nadzor, izvidništvo, protipovršinsko vojskovanje in protipodmorniško vojskovanje. Uporablja se tudi za druge vloge, kot so znanstvene raziskave, spremljanje okolja, prepoved drog in humanitarna pomoč. P-3 Orion naj bi deloval vsaj do leta 2035, ko ga bodo postopoma nadomestila novejša letala, kot je Boeing P-8 Poseidon.