Lockheed Martin team delivers upgraded P-3 Orion to U.S. Customs and Border Protection

GREENVILLE, S.C., 11 March 2013.Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) engineers have delivered to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) a P-3 Orion with new Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) modifications.

The P-3 MLU replaces all fatigue life-limiting structure with enhanced-design components and includes a new metal alloy that is five times more corrosion resistant than the original material, reducing the cost of ownership for P-3 operators. The upgrade removes current aircraft flight restrictions and extends the structural service life of the P-3 to up to 15,000 hours, adding more than 20 years of operational use.

"This delivery continues to underscore our unique modification, maintenance, repair, and overhaul capability," says Ray Burick, Lockheed Martin vice president for Modification, Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MMRO) Greenville Site and Field Team Operations.

This delivery marks the seventh CBP P-3 that the Lockheed Martin team has delivered ahead of or on schedule from its facility in Greenville, S.C., since July 2010. In 2012, CBP P-3s flew more than 6,500 flight hours resulting in the seizure of more than 117,000 pounds of narcotics valued at $8.7 billion.

The P-3 Orion, the standard for maritime patrol and reconnaissance, is used for homeland security, hurricane reconnaissance, anti-piracy operations, humanitarian relief, search and rescue, intelligence gathering, antisubmarine warfare, and, recently, to assist in air traffic control and natural disaster relief support.

Lockheed Martin MMRO provides full-service modification, maintenance, repair, and overhaul, and world-class engineering reach-back, ensuring the highest quality standards while reducing aircraft downtime.

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