Naval Air Article Index : Current 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
 Latest
 News 		  Most
 Read 		  Most
 Commented		  Hot
 Topics
July 30, 2000
   
Raytheon is offering to provide the German and Italian navies (and presumably those of other friendly nations) with low-cost maritime patrol planes. The plan is to take old P-3A/B Orions out of desert storage at Davis-Monthan AFB and rebuild them with new electronics. This would produce aircraft that have improvements beyond the current US Navy P-3Cs but cost less. The old airframes have at least 20,000 flight hours left. Raytheon plans to select a new engine, either the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150 or the Rolls Royce AE2100. Each aircraft will need four of these efficient new engines.--Stephen V Cole