Grounding affects Navy craft in isles
P-3C Orion aircraft based in Hawaii are among the 39 grounded this month by the Navy for structural repairs.
The P-3C aircraft, used for reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare, was introduced in the 1960s, and its reconnaissance role has expanded to battlefields in the war in Iraq.
"As a result of ongoing fatigue study, we determined that there was a section on the wing that had a higher-than-acceptable level of risk," said John Milliman, a spokesman for the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Md.
Several of the Orions based in Kaneohe Bay are grounded. However, the Navy would not provide a specific number due to operational security concerns, regional Navy spokeswoman Agnes Tauyan said.
There are three units with about 10 Orions each in Hawaii: Patrol Squadron 4, Patrol Squadron 9 and Patrol Squadron 47.
The grounding is not a result of an incident or mishap, Milliman emphasized. Rather, it is a result of years of data, computer modeling and testing on how well the planes are aging.
"We also look at a test rig in a facility, and we apply stress to certain parts to see how it reacts," Milliman said. "From looking at all of that data together, the engineers decided there was a part of the wing they were uncomfortable with allowing to fly."
The Navy is concerned about the lower portion of a wing on some of the planes, and will be looking at each
of the 39 grounded planes before making repairs.
Repairs could take as long as 18 months to two years, Milliman said.
The Navy has 161 P-3C aircraft in its inventory. Of the 39 grounded, 10 are deployed, but the Navy did not say where.
The grounded aircraft will either return to safe operation after replacement of parts, or they could be removed from service.
ORION THE HUNTER
» Aircraft: P-3C
» Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
» Cost per plane: $36 million
» Propulsion: Four turboprops
» Length: 116 feet
» Wingspan: 99 feet
» Maximum airspeed: 472 mph (411 knots)
» First flight: August 1969
» Primary mission: Anti-submarine warfare
» Secondary mission: Ocean and battlefield reconnaissance
» Armament: Harpoon, SLAM (stand-off land attack) and Maverick air-to-surface missiles and MK-46, MK-50 and MK-54 torpedoes
» Sensors: Air-dropped sonobuoys to detect sounds underwater; magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) to sense small changes in Earth's magnetic field due to large metal objects underwater
Source: U.S. Navy