Argentina Receives First P-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft from Norway

Argentina received its first P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft from Norway on Tuesday, September 3.

The aircraft landed at the Almirante Zar Naval Air Base in Trelew, Chubut Province, marking the beginning of a planned acquisition of four such aircraft for the Armada Argentina, as confirmed by the Argentine Navy.

This acquisition was part of the National Public Investment Project aimed at enhancing the operational and logistical capabilities of the Naval Aviation Command’s search and exploration aircraft. The received P-3C Orion, initially registered as 163299, will be re-registered in Argentina as 6-P-57. It will be assigned to the Naval Exploration Squadron, which is part of Naval Force No. 3.

The official reception ceremony for this aircraft is scheduled for mid-September at the Aeroparque Military Air Base in Buenos Aires. The event will be presided over by the Minister of Defense, Dr. Luis Alfonso Petri, and attended by the Chief of the General Staff of the Navy, Vice Admiral Carlos María Allievi. Also expected to participate are the Ambassadors of Norway and the United States to Argentina, Norwegian ministerial authorities, the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, and other officials and special guests.

The P-3C Orion, developed by the American company Lockheed Martin in the late 1950s, is an aircraft designed for long-range maritime patrol, surveillance, and exploration. It is equipped with four Allison T-56-A-14 turboprop engines, each delivering 4,600 horsepower. The aircraft measures 35.57 meters in length, 10.27 meters in height, with a wingspan of 30.38 meters. It has a range of 1,500 nautical miles (2,780 km) and can remain airborne for up to 12 hours, allowing it to cover Argentina's maritime coast, continental shelf, and Antarctic region.

The aircraft's capabilities include search and rescue (SAR), anti-submarine warfare, and maritime control. It is equipped with advanced sensors, including synthetic aperture radar, visual and infrared cameras, acoustic processors for underwater detection, a magnetic anomaly detector, and an automatic vessel identification system. These systems enable real-time data collection, processing, and transmission, making the aircraft an essential asset for Argentina's maritime operations.

The P-3C Orion also supports Argentina's obligations under Law No. 22,445, contributing to maritime search and rescue over a 16.2 million km² SAR zone and adjacent maritime areas. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in protecting Argentine sovereignty in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and other national maritime spaces, ensuring a strategic presence for resource management and maritime communication.

The four aircraft being acquired by Argentina, three P-3Cs and one P-3N mobile logistics support aircraft, have undergone a service life extension program known as ASLEP (Aircraft Service Life Extension Program). This program involves the complete replacement of the wings, providing the aircraft with an average remaining flight time of 17,000 hours, equivalent to at least 15 more years of service. The acquisition also includes accessories, spare parts, test benches, and aircraft components.

This delivery is particularly notable as Greece is still awaiting its P-3H variant aircraft. In addition to the P-3C Orion, Argentina is preparing to receive the DA-62 Multi-Purpose Platform for the Army. The Army is also incorporating advanced technology, including the RIEGL VQ-780II long-range laser scanner and the UltraCam-Eagle M3 f100 digital photogrammetric sensor, to enhance mission planning and data processing capabilities.