U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) completed the overhaul of its 13th P-3 Orion aircraft earlier this month.
The Service Life ExtensionPlan (SLEP) overhaul stems from a 2006 analysis of the aging P-3 aircraft fleet that indicated that the Long-Range Tracker (LRT) had less than eight years of remaining service life and that the Airborne Early Warning has less than three years. The plan provides new wings and a tail for each aircraft, while stripping down the rest of the aircraft for a thorough inspection.
In addition to SLEP, the P-3 LRT aircraft underwent extensive modifications after it was retrieved from desert storage a few years ago. The systems were replaced with AMO’s state-of-the-art enforcement configuration.
“AMO has provided a new lease on life for this capable aircraft,” Trevor Blow, director of the P-3 program management office, said. “The P-3 Long-Range Tracker is in high demand with our AMO operators and various mission partners. This latest aircraft will be in service for years to come.”
One additional aircraft will receive an overhaul before the end of fiscal year before the SLEP program is fully completed.
IN FY 2015, AMO’s aircrews contributed to 198 seizure, disruption or interdiction events in the transit zone, including the seizure of more than 200,000 pounds of cocaine.