NRL P-3

The Naval Research Lab (NRL) Flight Support Detachment, located at Patuxent River, MD, provides a uniquely configured NP-3D “Orion” aircraft to support a wide spectrum of airborne research projects. This airborne platform chiefly supports the NSF/NCAR airborne Doppler radar ELDORA, basic state parameters, GPS Dropsondes, and other sophisticated instrumentation. 

The aircraft has a flight endurance of up to 12 continuous hours, a range of up to 3,900 nautical miles and supports scientific missions at altitudes ranging from 200 ft to 31,000 ft. The plane is equipped with floor- and ceiling-mounted track systems to accommodate roll-on/roll-off equipment and can accommodate an internal payload of up to 4,500 lbs. A standardized fiber-optic wing wiring system allows for seamless collection of data from wing mounted sensors and pods. A bomb bay pallet system allows users to install and test equipment in a laboratory environment prior to final install on the aircraft. The aircraft also has a modified pneumatic sonobuoy launch system.