Customs No. 7

Posted 7 March 2013

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Photo by Leslie Farmer

The seventh upgraded P-3 Orion for US Customs and Border Protection was delivered from the Lockheed Martin facility in Greenville, South Carolina, on 7 March 2013, more than fifty days ahead of schedule. The aircraft, one of eight P-3 airborne early warning aircraft flown by Customs, will have its distinctive rotodome reattached before rejoining the Customs fleet. The P-3 Mid-Life Upgrade, or MLU program, primarily consists of replacement wings, removes current aircraft flight restrictions, and extends the structural service life of the P-3 up to 15,000 hours, adding more than twenty years of operational service. This delivery marks the fourth consecutive delivery ahead of schedule.

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