Editing Lockheed EP-3

{{short description|Signals reconnaissance aircraft of the US Navy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name = EP-3A/B Orion <br> EP-3E ARIES / ARIES II
 |image = File:U S -Navy-Lockheed-EP-3E-Aries-II.jpg
 |caption = U.S. Navy EP-3E
 |type = [[Signals Intelligence]] (SIGINT)
 |national_origin = United States
 |manufacturer = [[Lockheed Corporation]]
 |designer =
 |first_flight =
 |introduction =
 |status = Active
 |primary_user = [[United States Navy]]
 | more_users = [[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force]]
 |number_built =
 |developed_from = [[P-3 Orion]]
 |variants =
}}

The '''Lockheed EP-3''' is an electronic signals reconnaissance variant of the [[Lockheed P-3 Orion|P-3 Orion]], primarily operated by the [[United States Navy]].

== Development ==
A total of 12 P-3C aircraft were converted to replace older versions of the aircraft, which had been converted in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The aircraft is known by the acronym ARIES, or "Airborne Reconnaissance Integrated Electronic System".<ref name="usn">{{cite web |url = http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=1100&tid=1000&ct=1| title = EP-3E (ARIES II) signals intelligence reconnaissance aircraft| publisher = United States Navy Fact File| access-date = 15 February 2009| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081114211856/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=1100&tid=1000&ct=1| archive-date = 14 November 2008| url-status = dead}}</ref> and has [[Signals intelligence]] (SIGINT) capabilities. SIGINT is the interception of signals, whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication (electronic intelligence—abbreviated to ELINT). The EP-3E generally has a crew of 24, including linguists, cryptographers and technicians.

The squadrons that flew the EP-3E also flew the [[Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star]] from 1962 to 1974 and the [[Douglas A-3 Skywarrior|Douglas EA-3B Skywarrior]] from 1960 to 1991.  There are 11 EP-3Es in the Navy's inventory, the last of which was delivered in 1997.

==Hainan Island incident==
{{main|Hainan Island incident}}

On 1 April 2001, an aerial collision between a [[United States Navy]] EP-3E ARIES II, a [[ELINT|signals reconnaissance version]] and a [[People's Liberation Army Navy]] [[Shenyang J-8II]] fighter resulted in an [[international incident]] between the United States and [[People's Republic of China|China]].  Operating about 70 miles (110 km) away from the PRC island province of Hainan Island, the EP-3 was intercepted by two J-8II fighters.  One of the J-8IIs collided with it.  The J-8II crashed into the sea and the pilot, Lt. Cdr. Wang, was seen to eject after the collision.  His body was never recovered and he was declared dead.  The EP-3 came close to becoming uncontrollable, at one point sustaining a nearly inverted roll, but was able to make a successful, unauthorized  [[emergency landing]] at Lingshui airfield on [[Hainan]] island, where the two J-8II fighters involved in the incident had been based. At least 15 distress signals from the Orion had gone unanswered.  The crew and the plane were subsequently detained by Chinese authorities because of the death of the Chinese pilot.

After several days of interrogations, the crew was repatriated separately to the United States while the aircraft remained in China, reportedly taken apart for research on American intelligence technology.  Although the crew attempted to destroy as much classified material, hardware, and software on the aircraft as possible prior to the emergency landing, there is little doubt that the EP-3 was exploited by Chinese intelligence services.  An American team was later permitted to enter Hainan in order to dismantle the aircraft, which was subsequently airlifted on board two of [[Polet Flight]]'s [[Antonov An-124]]s back to the United States for reassembly and repair.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1380725.stm|title=Russians to fly out spy plane|website=bbc.co.uk|date=10 June 2001|access-date=9 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018044845/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1380725.stm|archive-date=18 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

This incident is fictionally portrayed in the TV Series JAG: Season 7, Episode 9 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0613245/?ref_=ttep_ep9

== Other incidents ==
On 29 January 2018, a near accident was reported on the Black Sea, when a Russian Su-27 passed a U.S. EP-3 at a distance of several feet.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://video.repubblica.it/mondo/mar-nero-il-top-gun-russo-passa-a-meno-di-2-metri-dall-aereo-spia-americano/295925/296542?ref=RHPPBT-BS-I0-C4-P7-S1.4-T1|title=Mar Nero: il top gun russo passa a meno di 2 metri dall'aereo-spia americano|date=31 January 2018|website=Repubblica Tv – la Repubblica.it|access-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201080251/https://video.repubblica.it/mondo/mar-nero-il-top-gun-russo-passa-a-meno-di-2-metri-dall-aereo-spia-americano/295925/296542?ref=RHPPBT-BS-I0-C4-P7-S1.4-T1|archive-date=1 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.c6f.navy.mil/news/us-ep-3-intercepted-black-sea|title=U.S. EP-3 Intercepted in the Black Sea|date=29 January 2018|access-date=1 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201001930/http://www.c6f.navy.mil/news/us-ep-3-intercepted-black-sea|archive-date=1 February 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In a separate incident, on 5 November 2018, a U.S. EP-3 was again claimed to have been closely passed in international airspace by a Russian Su-27.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-46110395/us-navy-plane-intercepted-by-russian-jet-over-black-sea|title=US Navy plane intercepted by Russian jet|work=BBC News |access-date=2018-11-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110061754/https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-46110395/us-navy-plane-intercepted-by-russian-jet-over-black-sea|archive-date=2018-11-10|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 19 July 2019, a U.S. EP-3 was "performing a multi-nationally recognized and approved mission in international airspace" over the Caribbean Sea, when a Venezuelan Su-30 aggressively shadowed it at an unsafe distance.  <ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/venezuelan-fighter-aggressively-shadowed-us-reconnaissance-plane-caribbean/story?id=64469484&cid=clicksource_4380645_null_headlines_hed|title=Venezuelan fighter 'aggressively shadowed' US reconnaissance plane over Caribbean Sea|website=ABC News}}</ref>

==Fictional incidents==
{{Main|Aircraft in fiction#Lockheed P-3 Orion}}

==EP-X==
Boeing has started working on an unscheduled replacement aircraft, the EP-X, based on their 737.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=awst&id=news/aw041409p1.xml|title=EP-X Program Starts To Take Shape}}{{Dead link|date=November 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

On 16 August 2009, The Navy issued an "EP-X [[Analysis of Alternatives]]" that called for "information useful for the execution of the Electronic Patrol-X (EP-X) program which will recapitalize the EP-3E aircraft to provide tactical, theater, and national level Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting (ISR&T) support to Carrier Strike Groups and to Theater, Combatant, and National Commanders."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fbodaily.com/archive/2009/09-September/18-Sep-2009/FBO-01958230.htm|title=MOD – A – EP-X Analysis of Alternatives – 18-Sep-09 – FBO#2855|website=www.fbodaily.com|access-date=2009-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609162427/http://www.fbodaily.com/archive/2009/09-September/18-Sep-2009/FBO-01958230.htm|archive-date=2011-06-09|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 23 September 2009, leaked Navy budget documents for FY2011 revealed that the EP-X program would be delayed rather than started in that year.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aNMlnU1TAETo Littoral Ships, Other Weapons Cut in New U.S. Navy 5-Year Plan]</ref>

On 1 February 2010, President Obama unveiled his proposed budget for 2010. This budget called for, among other things, canceling the EP-X program.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/02/01/white.house.budget/index.html?hpt=T1 | work=CNN | title=Things you should know about budget – CNN.com | access-date=11 May 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522121659/http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/02/01/white.house.budget/index.html?hpt=T1 | archive-date=22 May 2010 | url-status=live }}</ref>

==Replacement==
After the cancellation of the EP-X Program, the U.S. Navy replaced the EP-3E Aries II with the [[Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton]] unmanned aircraft and the [[Northrop Grumman MQ-8 Fire Scout|MQ-8B Fire Scout]] unmanned helicopter.<ref>Trimble, Stephen. [http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-navy-to-replace-ep-3s-with-unmanned-aircraft-360617/ US Navy to replace EP-3s with unmanned aircraft] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511235859/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-navy-to-replace-ep-3s-with-unmanned-aircraft-360617/ |date=2013-05-11 }} " Flightglobal. 11 August 2011.</ref> All P-3 Orion aircraft assigned to special projects squadrons (VPU) and all EP-3E Aries II aircraft were retired in February of 2025.{{Failed verification|date=April 2025|reason=Retirement date years after ref pub date.}}

==Variants==
[[File:EP-3A EMPASS VX-1 NAN5-6-83.jpg|thumb|U.S. Navy Lockheed EP-3A Orion of air test and evaluation squadron VX-1 Pioneers in 1983. This aircraft was used in the "EMPASS" project, the "Electromagnetic Performance of Air and Ship Systems" (EMPASS) Project.]]
* '''EP-3A''': Seven modified for electronic reconnaissance testing.
* '''EP-3B''': Least known of all in the P-3 family. Three P-3As (BuNo 149669, BuNo 149673, and BuNo 149678) were obtained by the CIA from the U.S. Navy under Project STSPIN in May 1963, as the replacement aircraft for CIA's own covert operation fleet of RB-69A/P2V-7Us. Converted by Aerosystems Division of LTV at Greenville, Texas, the three P-3As were simply known as "black" P-3As under Project Axial. Officially transferred from U.S. Navy to CIA in June/July 1964. LTV Aerosystems converted the three aircraft to be both ELINT and COMINT platforms. The first of the three "black" P-3As arrived in Taiwan and were officially transferred to ROCAF's top secret [[Black Bat Squadron|"Black Bat" Squadron]] on 22 June 1966. Armed with 4 Sidewinder short range AAM missiles for self-defense, the three "black" P-3As flew peripheral missions along the China coast to collect SIGINT and air samples. When the project was terminated in January 1967, all three "black" P-3As were flown to [[NAS Alameda]], California, for long term storage. Two of the three aircraft (BuNo 149669 and BuNo 149678) were converted into the only two EP-3Bs in existence by Lockheed at Burbank in September 1967, while the third aircraft (149673) was converted by Lockheed in 1969–1970 to serve as a development aircraft for various electronic programs. The two EP-3Bs, known as "Bat Rack", owing to their period of service with Taiwan's "Black Bat" Squadron, were issued to the U.S. Navy's VQ-1 Squadron in 1969 and deployed to Da Nang, Vietnam. In the 1980s these two planes were based at the Naval Air Facility, Atsugi, Japan with the Atsugi VQ-1 detachment. Later, the two EP-3Bs were converted to EP-3E ARIES, along with 10 EP-3As. The 12 EP-3Es retired in 1990s, when replaced by 12 EP-3E ARIES II.<ref name="Pocock">Pocock, Chris. ''The Black Bats: CIA Spy Flights Over China From Taiwan, 1951–1969''. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 2010. {{ISBN|978-0764335136}}.</ref>
* '''EP-3''': ELINT aircraft for the [[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force|Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force]].
* '''EP-3E ARIES''': 10 P-3As and two EP-3Bs were converted into ELINT aircraft.
* '''EP-3E ARIES II''': 12 P-3Cs were converted into ELINT aircraft. Last delivered in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=1100&tid=1000&ct=1|title=The US Navy – Fact File: EP-3E (ARIES II) signals intelligence reconnaissance aircraft|first=Dan|last=Petty|website=www.navy.mil|access-date=2009-02-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081114211856/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=1100&tid=1000&ct=1|archive-date=2008-11-14|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* '''EP-3J''': Two Electronic Warfare aircraft that were extensively modified  P-3B Orions that supported the Fleet Electronic Warfare Support Group (FEWSG) . The aircraft were used as simulated adversary Electronic Warfare platforms in Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 33 (VAQ-33), then transferred to Patrol Squadron 66 (VP-66) and finally transferred to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 11 (VQ-11).

==Operators==
[[File:EP-3 operators.png|thumb|400px|Map with EP-3 operators in blue]]

===Current operators===
====Japan====
* [[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force]] – 5 EP-3

===Former operators===
====United States====
* [[United States Navy]]
**[[VQ-1]] was based at [[Naval Air Station Whidbey Island]] until March 28th, 2025 when it was disestablished.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/sundown-for-fleet-air-reconnaissance-squadron-one | title=Sundown for Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One | date=18 February 2025 }}</ref>
**[[VQ-2]] was based at [[Naval Station Rota, Spain]] until 2006 when it moved to [[Naval Air Station Whidbey Island]] (disestablished on 17 May 2012).

== Specifications (EP-3E-II – P-3C as indicated) ==
[[File:VQ1 MT FUJI WEB (4832425082).jpg|thumb|Lockheed EP-3E flying past [[Mount Fuji|Mt. Fuji]], Japan]]
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Encyclopedia of world military aircraft Vol.2,<ref name=EoWMAv2>{{cite book |editor1-last=Donald |editor1-first=David |editor2-last=Lake |editor2-first=Jon |title=Encyclopedia of world military aircraft Vol. 2 |year=1994 |publisher=Aerospace |isbn=1874023522 |pages=249–253}}</ref> Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1984–85<ref name=JAWA84-85>{{cite book |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1984–85 |url=https://archive.org/details/janesallworldsai8485john |url-access=registration |editor1-last=Taylor |editor1-first=John W.R. |edition=75th |year=1984 |publisher=Jane's Publishing Co. |location=London |isbn=0710608012 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/janesallworldsai8485john/page/n516 433]–434}}</ref>
|prime units?=kts
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|crew=4 (minimum)
|capacity=19+ mission crew
|length ft=116
|length in=10
|length note=
|span ft=99
|span in=8
|span note='''P-3C'''
|height ft=33
|height in=8.5
|height note='''P-3C'''
|wing area sqft=1300
|wing area note='''P-3C'''
|aspect ratio=7.5 '''P-3C'''
|airfoil='''root:'''  [[NACA airfoil|NACA 0014-1.10]]; '''tip:''' [[NACA airfoil|NACA 0012-1.10]]<ref name="Selig">{{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref> '''P-3C'''
|empty weight lb=61491
|empty weight note='''P-3C'''
* '''Design zero-fuel weight:''' {{cvt|77200|lb|0}}
|gross weight lb=135000
|gross weight note='''P-3C'''
|max takeoff weight lb=142000
|max takeoff weight note='''P-3C'''
* '''Maximum landing weight:''' {{cvt|103880|lb|0}} '''P-3C'''
|fuel capacity={{cvt|9200|USgal |impgal l}} / {{cvt|62000|lb|0}} '''P-3C'''
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=4
|eng1 name=[[Allison T56-A-14]]
|eng1 type=[[turboprop]] engines
|eng1 shp=4910
|eng1 note=equivalent '''P-3C'''

|prop blade number=4
|prop name=[[Hamilton Standard]] 54H60
|prop dia ft=13
|prop dia in=6
|prop dia note=constant-speed fully-feathering propellers '''P-3C'''
<!--
        Performance
-->
|max speed kts=380
|max speed note=at {{cvt|15000|ft|0}}
* '''Patrol speed:''' {{cvt|180|kn|mph km/h|0}}
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|combat range nmi=2200
|combat range note=with 0 time on station
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling ft=28000
|ceiling note=
|climb rate ftmin=2175
|climb rate note=at sea level
|time to altitude=
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=

|more performance=
* '''Take-off run:''' {{cvt|4240|ft|0}} at MTOW '''P-3C'''
* '''Take-off distance to {{cvt|50|ft|0}}:''' {{cvt|5490|ft|0}} at MTOW '''P-3C'''
* '''Landing distance from {{cvt|50|ft|0}}:''' {{cvt|5490|ft|0}}  at Design landing weight '''P-3C'''

|avionics=
* A wide variety of ELINT, SIGINT and COMINT systems known as the ARIES Suite
}}

==See also==
{{aircontent
|related =
* [[Lockheed L-188 Electra]]
* [[Lockheed P-3 Orion]]
* [[Lockheed WP-3D Orion]]
* [[Lockheed CP-140 Aurora]]
* [[Lockheed P-7]]
|similar aircraft= 
* [[Hawker Siddeley Nimrod R1]]
* [[Shaanxi Y-9JZ]]
* [[Ilyushin Il-20]]
* [[Sukhoi Su-24#Variants|Sukhoi Su-24MP]]
|lists=
* [[List of military aircraft of the United States]]
* [[List of active United States military aircraft]]
* [[List of Lockheed aircraft]]
|see also=
}}
* [[Chinese espionage in the United States]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* Winchester, Jim, ed. ''Military Aircraft of the Cold War'' (The Aviation Factfile). London: Grange Books plc, 2006. {{ISBN|1-84013-929-3}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|EP-3 Orion}}
* [http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=1100&tid=1400&ct=1 P-3C fact file] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110316155749/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=1100&tid=1400&ct=1 |date=16 March 2011 }} and [http://www.history.navy.mil/planes/p3.htm P-3 history page on U.S. Navy site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410114009/http://www.history.navy.mil/planes/p3.htm |date=10 April 2008 }}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.p3orion.nl/ |title= P-3 Orion Research Group |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630002940/http://home.planet.nl/~p3orion/ |archive-date=2007-06-30}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060103044142/http://wacop.wff.nasa.gov/ NASA Wallops Flight Facility Aircraft Office operators of the NASA P-3]
* [http://combataircraft.com/aircraft/sep3e.aspx EP-3E on CombatAircraft.com]

{{Lockheed}}
{{US patrol aircraft}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Lockheed aircraft|P-003, E]]
[[Category:1960s United States military reconnaissance aircraft]]
[[Category:Four-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Low-wing aircraft]]
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[[Category:Signals intelligence]]
[[Category:Lockheed P-3 Orion]]
[[Category:Electronic countermeasures]]
[[Category:Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear]]