Since mid April, a Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa-FAP) Lockheed Martin P-3C CUP+ Orion maritime patrol aircraft is part of NATO´s “Ocean Shield” operation in the Horn of Africa.

The aircraft, the crew and the support personnel are based in the Seychelles from where they perform coordinated tasks with allies over the Somali coast and the Gulf of Aden.

The FAP multi-mission aircraft is one of the five aircraft procured to the Netherlands (former RNLN aircraft) to replace the six P-3B Orion aircraft received from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in the 80´s and upgraded to the P-3P standard by Lockheed Martin.

The service received two aircraft upgraded by Lockheed Martin MSE in September 2010 and February 2011 respectively. The three remaining aircraft are being upgraded in Portugal by the local company OGMA-Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal SA. The Portuguese firm is owned by the Brazilian company Embraer Defence & Security and by the Portuguese holding for defence industries EMPORDEF-Empresas Portuguesa de Defesa SGPS SA. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2012.

The fleet is operated by the 601 Squadron “Lobos” (Wolfs) based at Beja air base Nº11.

The upgrade program allow the aircraft to perform a wide range of missions including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, maritime surveillance, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), mine warfare and as well as to support ground and amphibian operations. The aircraft could be used as well as a airborne relay for the transmission of communications in real time.

The upgrade project cover the integration of EL/M 2022A(V)3 maritime surveillance radar, MX15 HDi gyro-stabilized high definition observation system from FLIR Systems Inc, AN/ALR-97 electronic support measures system, AN/AAR-47 missile warning system, AN/ALE-47 dispensing system, AN/USQ-78B acoustic sensor, a tactical computer, a new communications suite, Ku, X and dual bands operating airborne digital TCDL (Tactical Common Data Link), Link 11 and Link 16 tactical data-link capability, a flight information system and a automatic collision avoidance system.

The modernization also include provisions to launch MK-46 lightweight torpedoes, AGM-84 Harpoon air to surface missiles and AGM-65 Maverick air to ground missiles.

Note that the EL/M 2022A(V)3 radar system from Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd (IAI) subsidiary ELTA Systems Ltd fits as well as the five Portuguese Airbus Military C-295M Persuader surveillance aircraft.

(Portuguese Air Force).

(Portuguese Air Force).