Lockheed P-3C Orion 159511 positioned on G-Row of the AMARC Process-In ramp. Following nearly ten years of inviolate storage at the base the aircraft is one of eight being reactivated following a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement with Pakistan.

Picture © 2005 Philip Michaels

On November 16, 2004 the US Administration notified Congress that Pakistan was to receive a $1.2 billion arms package from the United States, including the supply of eight Lockheed P-3 Orions which are currently in the AMARC inventory.

Once delivered these aircraft will be used to bolster Pakistan's search surveillance and control capability in support of maritime interdiction operations. They will also provide additional capability in the support of US Enduring Freedom operations by improving the ability to restrict littoral movement of terrorists along its southern border.

If all the P-3 Orion options are taken up they will form the bulk of the package with an estimated value of $970 million.
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After flight preparation work has been completed by the AMARC technicians the aircraft will be flown to the Lockheed Martin Company at Greenville, SC. Lockheed will then carry out the final upgrades before they are officially handed over to the Pakistan Navy.

The eight P-3 Orions selected for Pakistan are detailed below :-

PCNBuNoC/nArrival
Date		Previous Unit
AN2P0165159511562913-JUL-95VP-92, NAS Brunswick, ME.
AN2P0166159890564110-AUG-95VP-69, NAS Whidbey Island, WA.
AN2P0171159883563421-SEP-95VP-69, NAS Whidbey Island, WA.
AN2P0174159505562330-MAY-96VP-69, NAS Whidbey Island, WA.
AN2P0175159510562830-MAY-96VP-69, NAS Whidbey Island, WA.
AN2P0176159509562706-AUG-96VP-65, NAS Point Mugu, CA.
AN2P0178159508562617-SEP-96VP-94, NAS New Orleans, LA.
AN2P0184160289565216-DEC-97VP-30, NAS Jacksonville, FL.

AMARC have previously been involved in the supply of P-3 Orions to Pakistan when they reactivated three embargoed P-3C Orions in 1996 and 1997 after the aircraft were withheld due to the Pressler Ammendment imposed in 1990. This amendment prohibited any United States Assistance to Pakistan if the President failed to certify Pakistan was not in possession of a nuclear explosive device.

Before their delivery to AMARC for storage the aircraft had been used to train Pakistan Navy aircrews with VP-30 at NAS Jacksonville, FL.

Of these three P-3's two remain in service with No.28 Squadron at PNS Mehran (Faisal). The third, 27 (ex. BuNo 164469) ,crashed off the Balochistan coast on October 29, 1999 unfortunately killing all 21 navy personnel on board. The wreckage of the aircraft was discovered 10 kilometres off of the coast in 25 foot of water and was spread over a two kilometre area.