Hellenic Navy receives first P-3B Orion
Lockheed Martin has delivered the first P-3B Orion maritime patrol aircraft to the Hellenic Navy, the company announced on 17 May.
The delivery took place at Hellenic Aerospace Industry’s facility near Athens, Greece as part of the Hellenic Navy P-3B maritime patrol aircraft mid-life upgrade (MLU) and modernisation programme implementation.
The work is being carried out under an agreement between the US and Greece. One Orion is being re-activated, and four are being modernised.
MLU kits provide an extension of service life by 15,000 flight hours. In addition, this contract provides for phased depot maintenance; a Greece indigenous mission integration and management system; new avionics and other ancillary hardware and services.
The P-3 Orion is a maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft used for homeland security, anti-piracy operations, humanitarian relief, SAR, intelligence gathering, antisubmarine warfare and, recently, to assist in air traffic control and natural disaster relief support.
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