Pakistan Navy Receives Eight American P-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Oct 25, 2005: PakistaniDefence.com confirms that Pakistani Navy took delivery of eight P-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft from the United States is month. This delivery is part of Pakistan-US $1.2 billion military assistance package. Contract also includes upgrades, maintenance of existing fleet of Pakistan Navy's P-3 Orion aircrafts. Addition of these eight aircrafts has significantly improved Pakistan Navy's surveillance capabilities. Pakistan navy is already flying two P-3Cs in addition to French-origin Atlantic surveillance and anti submarine warfare aircrafts. The deal includes upgrades to the communications equipment and avionics systems as well as provisions for training devices, support and test equipment, engineering technical services, supply support, operation and maintenance training, logistics and other related support elements.

These new Pakistani P-3C have advanced submarine detection sensors such as directional frequency and ranging (DIFAR) sonobuoys and magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) equipment. The avionics system is integrated by a general purpose digital computer that supports all of the tactical displays, monitors and automatically launches ordnance and provides flight information to the pilots. In addition, the system coordinates navigation information and accepts sensor data inputs for tactical display and storage. These P-3Cs are able to launch wide array of weaponry such as American made Harpoon, French Exocet and Chinese C-802 anti-ship missiles, can deploy the French-Italian made A244 torpedoes and various other types of rockets, mines, depth bombs, and special weapons.

Source