NEWTOWN - According to FlightGlobal, Airbus Defence & Space has delivered Brazil's final upgraded P-3 Orion ASuW aircraft.
The Brazilian Air Force ordered modifications for a total of nine aircraft, including new avionics, communications, sensors, and Airbus D&S's FITS. The program also included minor life extension modifications to the aircraft's airframe and Rolls-Royce T56 engines.
Airbus Defence & Space has upgraded a total of 12 aircraft, including 9 for the Brazilian Air Force and 3 for the Spanish Air Force.
Though the Lockheed P-3 is a popular maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft, its replacement - the Boeing P-8 - is now entering service. Current P-3 operators need to determine whether to upgrade their existing P-3 aircraft or retire them in favor of the new P-8 to avoid a capability gap. This decision is not a cheap one and with budgets tight the world over, the choice is often politicized. Such was the case with Canada's $1.6 billion AIMP for the CP-140 Aurora, which is based on the P-3.