US offers eight P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft to India

Issa

Junior Member
US offers eight P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft to India
BANGALORE, SEP 14 (PTI)

The US has offered to sell eight P-3C Orion naval reconnaissance aircraft to India and New Delhi is examining the proposal, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash said today.

The US has offered to modernise eight old P-3C Orion planes and supply to India, he told reporters here.

"We are examining that offer," the Naval Chief said.

Admiral Prakash said India needs some maritime reconnaissance aircraft as "we lost a few and some have retired." "So, we are looking out for a replacement. This (the US offer) is one of the candidates." Russia has also offered to sell naval reconnaissance aircraft to India, said the Naval chief who earlier inaugurated the 46th annual conference of the Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine here.

Pakistan has recently taken delivery of eight P-3C Orion patrol aircraft from the US. The planes, worth up to USD 970 million, were provided free of cost.

Orions, manufactured by US defence firm Lockheed Martin, are long-range maritime patrol aircraft with an endurance of 18 hours, reports said.

On the Scorpene submarines deal with France, the Naval chief said once India starts producing submarines, "our force level will be adequate to meet any threat." He said India will build six submarines at Mazgaon dock in Mumbai under license from the French.

"From the date the contract is signed which should be very shortly, the first submarine should be out in five or six years," Admiral Prakash said.

"After the first production of six submarines is over, we will design and produce our own submarines," he said.

"We are required to have certain force level of submarines which were slowly running down because they were getting old and being decommissioned," he added Admiral Prakash said China is helping Pakistan to build a commercial port but it's not a cause for concern for New Delhi "at this moment." Asked if he anticipated "much more than that" (Chinese going beyond helping Pakistan in port building), he said "We are watching. We will see what happens in the future. We are prepared for any future developments. At this moment, there is no cause for concern or alarm to us." The Naval Chief said he was unaware of any move by Beijing to set up a naval intelligence unit in Pakistan or a naval base in that country.

He said about Rs 300 crore has already been invested in designing and developing naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft. Once it receives certification, expected in 2011 or 2012, it will fly from "both of our aircraft carriers.

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walter

Junior Member
MIGleader said:
they are to spy on china, nio doubt about it.

to spy on China's subs around India? They will recon anyone who gets close enough to India--why the spy on china paranoia? :confused:
 

bd popeye

The Last Jedi
VIP Professional
they are to spy on china, nio doubt about it.

Well MIGleader the P-3 Orion & variants have been in service since 1959 with the USN could be used to spy on the PRC by India. Could be :rolleyes: But the fact is the US is proboly starting to get rid of it's P-3's. They are due to be replaced by P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) sometime in the next 8 years. The MMA is in reality a military version of a Boeing 737. :)

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P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA)
The P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) combines superior performance and reliability with an advanced mission system that ensures maximum interoperability in the future battle space. A derivative of the Next-Generation 737-800, the P-8A MMA is being developed for the U.S. Navy by a Boeing-led industry team that consists of CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Smiths Aerospace.

MMA is a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations. The Navy plans to purchase 108 P-8As to replace its fleet of P-3C aircraft. The first aircraft will be delivered for flight test in 2009 and initial operational capability is slated for 2013.

Boeing was awarded a $3.89 billion contract for the system development and demonstration (SDD) phase of the MMA program on June 14, 2004 . SDD activities include developing and integration of all the necessary software and onboard mission systems, modifications to the airframe and developing training systems. The P-8A is expected to significantly transform how the Navy's maritime patrol and reconnaissance force will train, operate and deploy.

The Navy completed a three-day system requirements review of the program Sept. 30, 2004 . This was the first major review of the program since the SDD contract was awarded. The review was a crucial step that permits the program to continue forward. The purpose was to ensure understanding of the planned system and contract requirements. A preliminary design review is slated for September 2005.

The U.S. Navy awarded Boeing a contract for phase I of component advanced development (CAD) of the MMA in September 2002 and a contract for CAD phase II in February 2003.

Boeing and its industry partners provide unrivaled expertise in both large-scale systems integration and network centric operations, plus unquestioned leadership in developing and customizing military and commercial products for maritime forces.

Boeing will build the 737 MMA at its production facility in Renton , Wash. The 737 fuselage will be built in Wichita , Kan. then sent to Renton where a ll MMA-unique P-8A aircraft structural features will be incorporated in sequence during fabrication and assembly. The aircraft will have quality and performance acceptance flight testing conducted from Renton Field and final installations and checkout of the mission system and special flight test instrumentation will be conducted at Boeing Field. The aircraft will then ferry to Naval Air Station Patuxent River , MD for flight test.

CFM International, a 50/50 joint company of Snecma Moteurs and General Electric Company, provides the CFM56-7 engines that will power the P-8A. This is the same engine that powers the Boeing 737 Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft, as well as the Navy's C-40 transport. The two engines will each provide 27,300 pounds of takeoff thrust. The CFM56-7 is one of the world's most reliable engines. This fleet of engines has logged more than 30 million flight hours while maintaining an industry-leading .002 percent in-flight shut down rate per 1,000 hours of flight.

Northrop Grumman's Baltimore-based Electronic Systems sector will provide the electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor, the directional infrared countermeasures system, and the electronic support measures system. Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector, based in Reston , Va. , will develop data links for MMA. The company's Integrated Systems sector, based in El Segundo , Calif. , will support the mission planning effort.

Raytheon will provide an upgraded APS-137 Maritime Surveillance Radar and Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) solutions. Raytheon is also offering its revolutionary GPS Anti-Jam, Integrated Friend or Foe, and Towed Decoy Self-Protection suites, and the aircraft's Broadcast Info System (BIS) and secure UHF Satcom capability.

Smiths Aerospace will supply both the Flight Management and Stores Management systems on the 737 MMA. The Flight Management System provides a truly integrated open architecture that is CNS/ATM compatible along with an inherent growth path for upgrades. The Stores Management System provides a comprehensive system for the electronic control of integrated weapons management.

The Navy is expected to make a full-rate production decision in 2013. Extensive international interest is anticipated from countries currently operating P-3s and other maritime patrol aircraft
 

bd popeye

The Last Jedi
VIP Professional
P-8A Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft

Nice rendering of the future of maritime patrol.

mma_boeing_small.jpg
 
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