As Scramble Facebook News (SFN) reported recently, the P-3s have been seen from this location sporting long, rectangular radomes under their bellies for over forty years now. The first sighting of such a radome on an Orion was in 1978. It concerned NP-3B BuNo 152739. In its heydays (1997 – 2015) BUPERS SDC DALLAS had three P-3Cs on strength: 158574, 160293 and 161337.

The radomes contain the so-called Littoral Surveillance Radar System (LSRS), also known by its official designation AN/APS-149. The US Navy tested the LSRS for over 2,800 hours before pressing the sensor into action in 2005. Patrol squadron (VP) 46 “Grey Knights” (‘RC-xxx’) was the first squadron to operate the LSRS pod during its deployment to Al Udeid (Qatar) and Kadena (Japan), which started in September 2005 (*).

The LSRS pod proved to be a valuable system for the USA as the successor of the Orion, the Poseidon, is now also seen operating with a similar system (**). In July 2009, the US Navy awarded Raytheon Company a multi-year contract for the development of the Advanced Airborne Sensor (AAS), officially called the AN/APS-154, intended to equip the P-8A. The first tests of the AAS took place by Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 1 “Pioneers” (‘JA-xxx’) and later with VX-20 “Force”, both based at NAS Patuxent River (MD). From 2014 the first P-8As arrived with the AAS at Love Field for operational use.

So far, the following seven P-8As AAS have been seen:
167951 (VX-20),
167952 (BUPERS SDC DALLAS),
167954 (VX-20),
168996/996 (Mar18 no markings, and in Jul19 as VP-5 “Mad Foxes” ‘LA-996’)
169007/007 (BUPERS SDC DALLAS),
169010 (BUPERS SDC DALLAS),
169335/335 (former VP-30)

PORG and Scramble were informed that the final P-3C deployment with the SLRS will end late September 2019. Currently, there is still one P-3C assigned to the unit. However, a second P-3C is said to be operating out of Point Mugu (CA) with BUPERS SDC Point Mugu, while there is also a BUPERS SDC Det Pax at NAS Patuxent River (MD). With the latter, we do not have any SLRS sightings. There are likely already enough P-8As to fulfill the mission.

According to local observers, P-3 activities at Dallas have picked up during the first part of 2019. The BUPERS aircraft make several trips per week. Sometimes they leave around sunrise and other days around 10:00 hrs local time. Usually, when these take-off times are used, they return around noon and also mid-afternoon. There is no set time to count on.

The amount of secrecy is astounding. If you would ask airport officials about the planes you get the same answer... quote/unquote: “That plane does not exist”. The BUPERS aircraft have a lot of ‘clout’, they get top priority in security, flight planning, field services and support. It is their desire to draw the least amount of attention to themselves. The Orions do not sport any BuNo on the outside and they don’t even have NAVY titles, although they are flown by US Navy crews and use Navy call-signs. The Poseidons only carry the last three digits of their BuNos.

As multiple Orions with the operational Patrol Squadrons are reported operating with the LSRS, we believe that not all P-8As can be equipped with the AAS, or at least not yet. Besides, the Poseidon must be equipped with “pylons” to attach the massive pod, we noticed additional modifications like an aerodynamic body modification underneath the fuselage, just on top of the front-end of the AAS, as well as two large stabilization fins underneath the rear end of the fuselage (see picture).

(**) See Scramble Facebook News
08feb19 “Secretive Poseidon... Can we call it 'EP-8E' perhaps?”
https://www.facebook.com/Scramblemagazine/posts/2963008440392337

(*)
07dec18 “This P-3C Block Modification Upgrade Program was recently seen at Okinawa (Japan) https://www.facebook.com/Scramblemagazine/posts/2530324346994084

Photo credit: Garrett Heller and Dylan Phelps (ZFW Aviation)
Shared feature with the P-3 Orion Research Group

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