The curtain has fallen for Luftforsvaret P-3C Orion

On 30 June 2023, the curtain fell for the Lockheed P-3C Orion in service with the Luftforsvaret (RNoAF, Royal Norwegian Air Force).

On this date, the last mission was flown with P-3C 3299 "Ulabrand". The maritime patrol aircraft made a 4,5 hours mission from Andøya Flystasjon (Andøya Air Base) to the Barents Sea and back. Upon landing at Andøya for the final time, the aircraft teamed up with the new "Ulabrand", a Boeing P-8A Poseidon with serial 9584.

The new Poseidons are based at Harstad-Narvik/Evenes and Andøya will become a sleeping base to be used during emergency situations.

It is reported that P-3C 3299 will fly to the 309th AMARG at Davis-Monthan AFB (AZ) around 27 July 2023 where it will join former RNoAF P-3C/N Orions 3297, 3298 and 4576. P-3C 3297 was flown to Davis-Monthan on 19 June 2023.

This leaves only two Orions left in Norway with most probably one of these destined for a museum. These aircraft are P-3C 3296 and P-3N 6603. On 4 June 2023, Scramble Magazine first reported on this farewell. The unit, 333 skvadron For Konge og Fedreland (For the king and fatherland) is now a Poseidon unit only. The new MPAs have replaced the Orions as well as the Dassault Falcon 20ECM surveillance aircraft.

Photos by Tom Svendsen