Patrol Class
Patrol craft are land-based, long-range, multiengine
aircraft used primarily for antisubmarine warfare
(ASW) patrol. Patrol squadrons operate from the
continental United States and overseas bases. The P-3
Orion is the Navy’s primary ASW patrol aircraft.
The P-3 Orion (fig 8-46) is equipped with magnetic
anomaly detection (MAD) gear, sonobuoys, radar, and
other submarine detection systems. It is armed with
torpedoes, bombs, missiles, and depth charges for kills.
It has the primary mission of detecting, locating, and
destroying enemy submarines. The P-3 Orion can
respond quickly to hunt down submarine contacts long
before surface units can arrive. Other duties include
convoy escort, photographic missions, and aerial
mining.
Antisubmarine Class
Antisubmarine aircraft operate from CVs in
conjunction with hunter-killer group helicopters and
surface craft. The S-3 Viking is an example of such an
aircraft.
The Viking (fig. 8-47) is a high-wing, jet-powered,
twin-engine, carrier-based ASW aircraft. It carries
surface and subsurface search equipment with
integrated target-acquisition and sensor-coordinating
systems that collect, interpret, and store ASW sensor
data. It has direct attack capability with a variety of
armaments.
Warning Aircraft
Carrier-based airborne early warning (AEW)
aircraft maintain station at some distance from a task
8-37
Student Notes:
Photograph courtesy of LCDR Mike Harrison
Figure 8-44.—F-14 Tomcat.
Photograph courtesy of Randy Hepp
Figure 8-45.—F/A-18 Hornet.
Photograph courtesy of PH2 Damon J. Mortiz
Figure 8-46.—P-3 Orion.
Photograph courtesy of LCDR Mike Harrison
Figure 8-47.—S-3 Viking refueling an F-14 Tomcat.
