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| P-3 Orion aircraft. Photo: Lockheed Martin |
[Avionics Today 06-16-2016] IMP Aerospace has delivered the final re-winged P-3 Orion aircraft to the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF), marking the successful completion of the multi-year program. The P-3 Orion aircraft are very similar to the Canadian CP140 Aurora aircraft, which are also receiving new wings, as well as mission system upgrades as part of a mid-life upgrade being undertaken at IMP Aerospace under a separate contract.
The wing replacement is part of the Aircraft Service Life Extension Program (ASLEP), which also includes the replacement of the center wing lower surface and horizontal stabilizer. Under this program, all life limiting components are replaced with new materials incorporating advanced alloys, yielding a five-fold increase in corrosion resistance and resulting in a significant reduction in future maintenance and operating costs.
The RNoAF awarded IMP the ASLEP contract in February 2008, to refit the entire RNoAF fleet of six P-3 Orion aircraft. The contract was administered through the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC), making this a government-to-government arrangement.