P-3 Orion Research Group

Unsaved Project P-3 Orion Research Group

The Netherlands

this page was last updated on 19 July 2008

Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion type identification page

This page is meant to be a helpful tool for aircraftspotters to recognize the different variants of the P-3 Orion (and to sort out the spooky planes of VPU-1 and VPU-2...). It is our goal to describe the external recognition points of the various P-3 variants. Currently we have published details about the US Navy´s latest Orion variant only: the P-3C AIP but more descriptions are to follow soon!

US Navy P-3C AIP Orion

AIP is the abbreviation for the Anti-surface warfare Improvement Program which gives the P-3C Orion the necessary tools to carry out anti-surface warfare and overland reconnaissance missions. The external modifications that are helpful to identify an AIP bird from a "regular" P-3C are:

ALE-47 chaff/flare dispensers: four in total: one on each side of the fuselage just above the nose landing gear and two in the extended inboard engine nacelles.

AAR-47 missile warning receivers: four in total: one on each side of the nose radome and one on each side of the aft radome, just in front of the MAD stinger.

SATCOM antenna´s: three visible examples: one on top of the fuselage at the position of the wings and one on each side of the fuselage next to the "NAVY" titles; a fourth example is hidden inside the aft radome.

ALR-66(V)3 ESM radome: below the fuselage, just in front of the sonobuoy lauching tubes.

The above mentioned modifications are visible on the next two photos of P-3C AIP BuNo 162778 (photos: Baldur Sveinsson)

The following detail shots show the AAR-47 and ALE-47 on a Netherlands navy P-3C-II1/2 (305). The chaff/flare and missile warning systems are identical to those systems on the USN AIP birds.

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Left to right: ALE-47 chaff/flare dispenser on the extended inboard engine nacelle, ALE-47 chaff/flare dispenser on the side of the fuselage (above the nose landing gear) and the AAR-47 missile warning receiver on the forward radome (photos: Jaap Dubbeldam)

The four P-3C-III Orions of the Norwegian air force have been modified through the Update Improvement Program (UIP). UIP has many similarities with AIP, so the P-3C UIP features the same external modifications as can be seen on the next photo of P-3C UIP 3298 (photo: Marco P.J. Borst).