EP-3 Orion
Lockheed (modified by L-3 Communications) · United States · first flew 1969 · reconnaissance aircraft
The EP-3E Aries II is the US Navy's primary land-based signals-intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft, a heavily modified P-3 Orion packed with electronic collection and processing equipment.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | P-3 Orion airframe bristling with blade antennas and fuselage fairings |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- P-3 Orion airframe bristling with blade antennas and fuselage fairings
- Distinctive canoe-shaped SIGINT fairing under forward fuselage
- No MAD boom; tail cone and ventral/dorsal antenna farms instead
Unmistakable as a P-3 derivative by the four-turboprop low wing and kinked trailing edge. Differentiated from ASW P-3s by the absence of the MAD boom, the ventral SIGINT canoe fairing, and extensive blade and fin antennas covering the fuselage top and bottom.
Specifications
- The EP-3 Orion has a length of 35.6 m (117 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 30.4 m (100 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 750 km/h (466 mph).
- Typical crew: 24.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Navy began converting P-3 airframes to the EP-3 signals-intelligence role in the late 1960s; the definitive EP-3E Aries II emerged from the ARIES (Airborne Reconnaissance Integrated Electronic System) programme and entered service in 1991. Eleven aircraft were built and formed the backbone of the Navy's SIGINT fleet. An EP-3E gained international attention in April 2001 when it made an emergency landing on Hainan Island, China, after a collision with a PLAN J-8 fighter, resulting in a diplomatic incident.
Variants
EP-3A and EP-3B early configurations; EP-3E Aries II definitive production standard with full SIGINT suite.
Where you'll see it
Operated by Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadrons VQ-1 and VQ-2 from Whidbey Island and Rota respectively. Scheduled for replacement by the Boeing P-8A-based EP-8 variant.
Related aircraft
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