Lockheed Martin to upgrade avionics and computers on German P-3C aircraft

Military avionics experts at Lockheed Martin Corp. will upgrade the mission computers aboard German military P-3C maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft under terms of a $158.5 million order. Lockheed Martin Global Inc. in Owego, N.Y., will upgrade the mission computers, acoustic equipment, armament/ordnance systems, and displays and controls on eight German P-3C aircraft under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion four-engine turboprop long-range maritime patrol plane has been in service since 1969, and is a converted version of the Lockheed Electra passenger aircraft. The Navy P-3C is being replaced by the Boeing P-8A Poseidon jet. This contract modification to Lockheed Martin will provide for new mission and acoustic system avionics with several German-specific components to satisfy current and future North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) requirements. The P-3C is designed for missions that include long-range ASW patrol, as well as land and sea surveillance. It has advanced submarine-detection sensors, such as directional frequency and ranging (DIFAR) sonobuoys and magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) equipment.