Five Planes To Receive Updated Mission Avionics
The Portuguese Ministry of Defense
recently awarded Lockheed Martin a direct commercial sale contract,
valued at $141 million, to upgrade the mission system avionics on
five P-3C maritime surveillance aircraft. Under the contract,
Lockheed Martin will provide a full mission system upgrade for the
Portuguese Air Force aircraft.
Upgrades include electronic support measures, acoustics,
communications, electro-optic and infrared systems, as well as new
data management software and hardware, including controls, displays
and mission computers. Systems design, development and integration
work will be completed at Lockheed Martin'sEagan-based Tactical
Systems line of business.
After equipment installation and checkout at Lockheed Martin's
Aircraft and Logistics Center in Greenville, SC, the first
modernized Portuguese Air Force P-3C aircraft will be delivered in
late 2009.
"Portugal has a large area of maritime patrol responsibility
that requires a multi-mission capable system to assist with
economic zone protection, search and rescue, security issues and
illegal immigration," said Vice Admiral Carlos Alberto Viegas
Filipe, Portugal 's national armaments director. "The modernization
fielded under this contract will significantly enhance the
Portuguese Air Force's ability to meet their multi-mission
requirements, and is a key component in enabling them to continue
performing this mission for the foreseeable future."
"Lockheed Martin is honored to have this opportunity and looks
forward to delivering mission capable aircraft for a key NATO
partner and long time P-3 operator," said Richard Udicious, vice
president and general manager of Lockheed Martin's Tactical Systems
line of business. "With over 90 percent of all active duty P-3's
carrying our mission systems, we know the upgraded Portuguese P-3C
aircraft will be capable of performing at a world-class level. Our
upgrades provide enhanced capabilities that will allow the
Portuguese Air Force to expand its roles in both humanitarian and
military operations."
The P-3C is the primary maritime surveillance aircraft operated
by the US Navy and 15 international allies. Its roles include
anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; over water or
overland intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and network
centric warfare, such as command, control and communications.
Additionally, the capabilities of the P-3C make it an ideal
platform for a number of secondary missions, including search and
rescue, drug interdiction, airborne early warning and electronic
warfare.