An aircraft conceived in the 1950s is gaining new momentum to carry out its surveillance missions in the Brazilian blue waters.
The P-3 is responsible for overseeing the Exclusive Economic Zone of Brazil, which can reach 4,5 million km², which is why this readjustment work to new technologies is essential for this mission.
The EEZ is a strip located beyond territorial waters, over which each coastal country has priority for the use of the natural resources of the sea, both living and non-living, and responsibility in its environmental management, extending for up to 200 nautical miles.
When added to the international areas of responsibility for Distress and Rescue operations (SAR – Search and Rescue), commitment to the International Maritime Organization (International Maritime Organization – IMO), the surveillance area reaches 10 million km².
This task falls constitutionally to the Brazilian Navy, which has the full of the surveillance and reconnaissance squadron of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which until 2010 only inventoried P-95 aircraft (EMB-111, Bandeirantes or Bandeirulha) dedicated to the maritime patrol. As of December 2010, however, the FAB began receiving the first P-3AM Orion aircraft, a total paradigm shift.
The P-3 Orion is an aircraft with unique characteristics to carry out various maritime surveillance missions. The profile of most maritime patrol missions requires flying at low altitude and low speed. This profile favors propeller-powered aircraft, as under these conditions they consume less fuel and thus manage to remain in flight for much longer, unlike jets, which are more economical at high altitude and high cruising speed, when compared to jets. turboprop aircraft.
The P-3 is bestseller in its category. Between 1961 and 1990, more than 750 units were produced, and in 2012 it ed the exclusive club of aircraft with more than fifty years of continuous service with the same , in this case the US Navy.
Nine aircraft were modernized for the FAB. New sensors and systems were installed, making the P-3AM compatible with the FAB's operational needs. According to the Coordinating Committee of the Combat Aircraft Program (COPAC), the Brazilian P-3AM Orion are powerful vectors in line with the guidelines established in the National Defense Strategy, as they increase Brazil's capacity in seeking to protect national interests.
the revitalization
Akaer's revitalization project began at the end of 2018, when company teams participated in training at an American company, a partner in the project.
The first sets of wings are being revitalized at Akaer's modern facilities, located at the company's industrial complex in São José dos Campos (SP). Disassembly and assembly will take place at the FAB Galeão Aeronautical Material Park, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ).
The revitalization will extend the useful life of the aircraft. To do this, Akaer will replace several elements of the wing, such as upper skins, front and rear spars, upper s of the central wing/fuselage boxes, among other actions. This design avoids structural fatigue of the wings, which would limit the time of use of the aircraft.
High tech
Akaer sees technological innovation as an integral part of its daily routine and, in the case of revitalizing the P-3 wings, it could not be different.
From the outset, the project was also seen as a platform to integrate Industry 4.0 concepts and tools: the digital twin, advanced manufacturing, systems integration, among others.
