JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The sailors of Patrol Squadron 26 made history Thursday as the last East Coast squadron to deploy in the P-3 Orion aircraft. The deployment will mark the end of an aircraft with a 50-year legacy of excellence and historic milestones.
Two of 10 P-3 aircraft from Naval Air Station Jacksonville took off Thursday carrying about 300 men and women from VP-26 Squadron to El Salvador and Bahrain. The sailors will be conducting counter drug missions and supporting command operations.
"It's pretty exciting for the community," Cmdr. Greg Smith said. "The P-3 has a long legacy here in Jacksonville. VP-26 has been flying the P-3 since 1966 -- for 50 years."
Since 1966, this aircraft has performed combat roles during the Vietnam War and the Cold War. When this group returns from deployment they will transition to the new P-8A "Poseidon" aircraft.
Smith has been flying the P-3 Orion for 15 years. He said the aircraft has been good to him and his fellow sailors, but he's ready to transition to the Poseidon.
"You're looking at some of the latest technology we can put in an airplane, so it's very capable," Smith said. "The excitement for me is to be able to fly a reliable airplane and continue to do these missions in support of our country in fleet commands."
In December 2013, the men and women flew over storm-ravaged regions of the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan, providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
"I'd never seen anything like that. The magnitude of it wasn't apparent until we got down there. It was pretty bad," said Lt. Fritz of VP 26. "We went to remote areas that weren't able to communicate with the outside world. We found helicopter landing zones to send in help as soon as possible."
While anti-submarine warfare is its primary mission, the P-3 Orion has since seen its mission set expand to include joint maritime and overland intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance flights, most recently during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Six P-3 squadrons still remain between Washington state and Hawaii. Those are set to transition to the P-8A within the next six to eight years.