Argentina’s Ministry of Defense has delivered a second P-3 Orion aircraft to the Argentine Navy as part of a fleet renewal program aimed at strengthening the country’s maritime surveillance and control capabilities. The aircraft, one of four acquired from Norway, has arrived at the Comandante Espora Naval Air Base near Bahía Blanca and will be used for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, and national sovereignty missions.

GE Aerospace to support propulsion development for Shield AI's X-BAT
GE Aerospace to support propulsion development for Shield AI's X-BAT
İçeriği Görüntüle

Defense Minister Luis Petri said the new addition represents a step toward rebuilding naval aviation capabilities.

“With the arrival of this second P-3 Orion, we continue restoring the Navy’s capacity for control and response, ensuring that Argentina can protect what belongs to it—its resources, its territory, and its sovereignty,” Petri stated following the aircraft’s arrival.

The first of the four P-3 Orion aircraft was delivered in 2024. With the new aircraft now operational, Argentina expands its ability to monitor its 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone, detect illegal fishing activities, and maintain a stronger presence across the South Atlantic. The acquisition is part of the government’s broader effort to modernize the Armed Forces and reinforce maritime domain awareness.

Developed by Lockheed Martin, the P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop designed for maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare. Powered by Allison T-56-A-14 engines, each producing 4,600 horsepower, the aircraft has a range of 1,500 nautical miles (2,780 km) and an endurance of up to 12 hours, allowing extended coverage of Argentina’s coastline, continental shelf, and Antarctic territories.

The aircraft is equipped with advanced systems including synthetic aperture radar, electro-optical and infrared sensors, acoustic processors for underwater detection, magnetic anomaly detectors, and Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) for vessel tracking. These capabilities enable long-range surveillance, anti-submarine and anti-surface operations, as well as search-and-rescue missions.