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The S-3 Viking is a monoplane powered by two GE TF34 Turbofan engines. Its primary role was being a anti submarine attacker, with the S-3B version later being used for anti surface targets in the late 1990s. 188 aircraft were built between 1974-1978.
Brief Development:
In the 1960s, nuclear powered Soviet submarines made the current piston radial powered S-2 tracker useless. Therefore, the US Navy issued a program dubbed ‘VSX’ which entailed a new ASW aircraft capable of operating in and out of aircraft carriers. Lockheed joined forces with LTV (Ling-Temco-Vought) and Univac Federal Systems to design an aircraft that will replace the S-2 Tracker. LTV designed the folding wings, engine nacelles, landing gear and the tail while Univac made the electronics. On 4 August 1969, Lockheed’s proposal was chosen, beating the other two competitors (Convair and Grumman) in the program and on 21 January 1972, the first prototype (out of 8 ordered), designated YS-3A, made its first flight piloted by John Christiansen.
Design:
The S-3 Viking had shoulder folding wings, which could turn 15° for deck storage and fuel was located between the wing folds. Additionally: The tail could also bend, the flaps were situated outside of the engine, the spoilers were located on top and bottom of the wings and the tail was controlled manually. The plane was manned by a crew of 4 (pilot, co-pilot, tactical co-ordinator and a sensor operator), all of whom were located in the cockpit. McDonnell Douglas E-1 Escapac ejector seats were installed for the crew. The Viking also had a tricycle landing gear fitted with the main gear tucked in to the fuselage. An APU (Auxilliary Power Unit) was fitted and was started by pulling a handle in the cockpit. The Viking had 2 weapons bays, that could house a max of 4,000 Pounds/1,500 Kilograms of conventional bombs, torpedoes, mines and depth charges. They were located on each side of the bottom of the aircraft, between the nose gear and the sonobuoy tube array. Moreover, two hardpoints were located under the wings, which could hold a max of 680 kilograms/1,500 Pounds of storage, unguided rockets, cluster bombs, AGMs and external fuel tanks. However by the late 1990s (because of the end of the cold war), the S-3B shifted its operations from anti-submarine warfare to surface and ground targets. A few anti submarine detectors were removed too.
Operations:
In 1981, a “Weapon Systems Improvement Program (WSIP)” was initiated by the US Navy to install upgraded avionics on the current S-3As. The first two were converted to the ‘S-3B’ variant for flight evaluations, with the test flight taking place on 13 September 1984. Official conversions took place in 1987 with the last one delivered in 1994. 119 were converted from the S-3As. The changes were: The AN/APS-137(V)1 radar, the AN/ALR-76 ESM receiver, An improved AN/ARR-78 sonobuoy receiver system, AN/UYS-1 Proteus acoustic signal processor and 2 AN/ALE-39 chaff-flare dispensers, containing 30 cartridges each. Testing and compatibility of AGM-84A Harpoon also took place and several units were modified to carry the AGM-65F Maverick. The S-3B were involved in combat operations in the gulf war, in particularly attacking Iraqi Scud missile launchers and the Iraq war of 2003, when in march, pilot Richard McGrath was reported to have fired a AGM-65 Maverick at a naval target in Basra.
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Lockheed-Martin Aeronautics
Type: anti-submarine warfare (ASW)
Crew: Pilot, COTAC (Naval Flight Officer), Acoustic Sensor Operator (AW), Non-Acoustic Sensor Operator (AW)
Powerplant: Two 9,275 lb. static thrust General Electric TF-34-GE-400B turbofans
Dimensions:
Length: 53 ft., 4 in.
Height: 22 ft., 9 in.
Wingspan: 68 ft., 8 in.
Weight:
Empty: 26,650 lb.
Gross: 52,539 lb.
Performance:
Max Speed: 518 mph at 25,000 ft.
Ceiling: 40,900 ft.
Range: 2,645 miles
Armament:
Up to 3,958 lb. ordnance, including AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-65 Maverick and AGM-84 SLAM and SLAM(ER) missiles, torpedoes, rockets and bombs
Additional info so it isnt completely defenceless:
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