Lockheed P-3AEW&C SENTINEL

Photo By Coll B. Thouanel.

Since the mid 1960s low level attack aircraft have proliferated to the point at which many medium and even small size air forces would like an airborne early warning plane to multiply the capabilities of the defensive fighters. Such forces did not need a plane with capabilities of the Boeing E-3 sentry, and indeed could not in general afford even a handful of such aircraft. Lockheed felt that it could produce a moderately priced AEW plane by placing the rotddome of the General Electric APS-138 surveillance radar on a airframe of its own P-3 Orion Maritime patroller, with the tactical compartment revised for five Collins display consoles. The aerodynamic prototype was based on an ex-Australian P-3B, and first flew in June 1984. The first order went to the US Coast Guard. The service needed four aircraft for anti drug patrol, and late in 1988 received its first Blue Sentinel with slightly less capable APS-125 radar, though later machine may have the more advanced APS-145 equipment. Other features are advanced data handling and communication based on a MIL-1553 digital data bus.