P-3B maritime surveillance aircraft

The Greek Navy has received its first upgraded Lockheed Martin P-3B maritime surveillance aircraft, the Greek Defense Ministry said.

The ceremony took place at the Greek aircraft industry plant in Tanagre, north of Athens on Friday in the presence of Greek Defence Minister Evangelos Apostolakis, US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt and representatives of Lockheed Martin.

"The modernisation of the aircraft will satisfy the needs of the Greek Navy at least until 2040, both at the national and international levels in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean regions," Apostolakis said.

In 2014, US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) certified overhaul and upgrade of P-3B aircraft as well as associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $500 million for Greece, after the Government of Greece requested for modernisation, modification and reactivation of two P-3B aircraft, and the upgrade of five P-3B aircraft.

The upgrade includes structural Mid Life Upgrades (MLU), Phased Depot Maintenance (PDM), Mission Integration and Management Systems (MIMS), and new flight avionics. MLU was expected to extend the service life of the turboprop type by 15,000h.