NAVAIR Patuxent River, MD – The U.S. Navy is making progress in the recovery of its grounded P-3C Orion aircraft. Currently, 10 of grounded aircraft have been inducted for outer wing modifications, with the first one due to be completed this fall - less than a year after grounding 39 aircraft for structural fatigue concerns.

Additionally, the Navy awarded contracts to L-3 Communications Aug. 19 and to Lockheed Martin Aug. 26 for the production of 17 outer wings assembly kits for the P-3C Orion with delivery of the first outer wings scheduled to occur in early 2010. These kits will replace the entire outer wing section, to included Zone 5, which was the area of concern in the groundings.

L-3 Communications will produce four of the outer wings, and Lockheed Martin will produce 13. Opportunities to procure additional outer wing kits may be available at a later time.

According to Bob Holmes, U.S. Navy P-3 Sustainment lead, the Navy is proactively managing the fatigue status, flight hour usage, and operational profiles on those aircraft not currently impacted by the fatigue groundings in order to reduce the likelihood of additional unanticipated elevated fatigue risk conditions.

“We are closely monitoring the flight hours and mission profiles flown by each aircraft, as well as recording specified aircraft data through the use of an on-board Structural Data Recording System to ensure continuous tracking of airframe structural fatigue,” Holmes said. “Additionally, detailed fatigue analysis information obtained through the P-3C Fatigue Life Management Program is provided at regular intervals to our fleet commanders, ensuring they have the necessary aircraft-specific fatigue status available to effectively manage their assets. However, due to the P-3’s age and elevated fatigue life, we anticipate additional groundings to periodically occur in the future.”
The Navy grounded 39 P-3C aircraft, approximately a quarter of the fleet, in December 2007 for structural fatigue concerns on a portion of the lower outer wing, called Zone 5. One additional aircraft was grounded in March 2008. Only 10 of the grounded aircraft were deployed. The groundings were not a result of an aircraft incident, rather a result of ongoing analysis obtained through the structural engineering focused P-3C FLMP program conducted between NAVAIR and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Marietta, Ga.

Immediately following the initial groundings, the Naval Aviation Enterprise developed a comprehensive recovery plan to include accelerating elements of the FLMP schedule from 36 to 18 months in order to assess additional areas on the outer wings; inducting grounded aircraft into depots to begin modifications on the affected Zone 5 section; and commencing detailed inspections and analysis of airframe structures removed from grounded aircraft in order to evaluate actual fatigue cracks located in Zone 5 region.

Additionally, in order to optimize the inventory of aircraft available to support operational and training requirements, the NAE re-evaluated scheduled depot maintenance requirements for each individual aircraft, adjusting depot inductions where able in order to minimize the overall impact associated with the grounded aircraft.

Lastly, a dual path approach to recovery was developed, which included outer wing modifications - which replaces specific wing planks and spars, and replacement of the entire outer wing assembly.
The Navy currently has 157 P-3C aircraft in service. Following the initial grounding, three of the affected aircraft were retired from service early. The P-3C Orion will be replaced by the P-8A Poseidon - an anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft. Initial operational capability for the Poseidon is scheduled for fiscal year 2013.

With the possibility of future P-3C groundings, the Navy has considered providing the training and support necessary to achieve a ready-to-deploy P-8A squadron nine months ahead of schedule. An early delivery would not affect production of the aircraft and IOC would remain FY 2013. The P-3C Orion will remain in service until the P-8A Poseidon is fully operational in FY 2019.

(Submitted by Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft program office)