9 Nov
2000
9 Nov
'00
3:02 a.m.
Will Jennings wrote:
I just thought that the group might find it interesting to know that the P-3
Orion carries, as part of the electronics suite, a Data General Nova 3.
Nifty, isn't it? Just in case anyone thinks I'm talking about the avionics,
I'll go ahead and say that I mean the Nova 3 is part of the ASW suite..
That's interesting, given that I've never seen a commercial-packaged processor
on board a P3. Is this a Norden-ruggedized unit?
Oh
yeah, ASW = Anti-Submarine Warfare, which is the Orion's primary function,
though it also serves as an all-purpose patrol aircraft, and it can even
carry out anti-ship missions (it has underwing hardpoints for Harpoon cruise
missles). At least I seem to remember that it was Harpoons it could carry,
at any rate, it is capable of carrying some sort of missiles ;p
The Orion can carry up to 20,000lbs of stuff on underwing hardpoints and
the single internal weapons bay including mines, depth bombs, torpedoes
and rockets -- the latter including the Harpoon ASM (which isn't technically
a cruise missile).
The internal weapons bay was capable of carrying Mk-43 and Mk-57 (and
probably Mk-34) nuclear depth bombs. Now that those devices have all
been retired I'd be surprised if it didn't have the ability to puke out some
version of the B-61.
--
Chris Kennedy
chris(a)mainecoon.com
http://www.mainecoon.com
PGP fingerprint: 4E99 10B6 7253 B048 6685 6CBC 55E1 20A3 108D AB97