Thursday, November 20, 2008

S-3 Viking

IOC: 1975
Total Production: 187

S-3B Viking

IOC: 1984
Unitary Cost: USD$27 million

Also Known As
S-3A Viking

Origin
United States of America

Contractor/s
Lockheed Martin

Applications
CV 63 Kitty Hawk
CV 67 John F. Kennedy
CVN 65 Enterprise
CVN 68 Nimitz

Family Members
ES-3A Shadow

Guided Missiles:
AGM-65D Maverick
AGM-65E Maverick
AGM-84D Harpoon
AGM-84E SLAM
AGM-84H SLAM ER

Power plant:
TF34-GE-400 (2)

Sensors & Communications:
AN/ASQ-81
LANTIRN

Description: Lockheed Martin S-3 Viking was developed as a replacement for US Navy's S-2 Tracker carrier-based anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. It was intended to provide greater capacity for tracking Soviet cruise missile submarines. S-3 jet aircraft also provides anti-surface warfare (ASuW)/anti-ship capability. The US Navy also employs this aircraft on surveillance, electronic countermeasures, command/control/communications warfare, and search and rescue (SAR) missions. Afterwards the Soviet Union collapse the S-3Bs were oriented for surveillance and precision strike missions.

Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Infrared (IR) sensors are key elements of the S-3 weapon system as well as its electronic support measures (ESM). S-3 Vikings can release AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile and IR/laser-guided AGM-65 Maverick as well as torpedoes, rockets and bombs. The US Navy has added to S-3B Viking the capability to take control over the SLAM-ER precision attack missile. All S-3 models are powered by two TF34-GE-400 turbofan engines each rated at 9,275-lb of thrust.

S-3A Viking twin-engine aircraft achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) on the US Navy's carriers in 1975. Up to 187 such aircraft were built. S-3B improved variant achieved IOC in 1984. Since then almost all the S-3As were converted into S-3Bs.In 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom an S-3B became the first S-3 to attack an inland target using a laser-guided Maverick. The US Navy plans to withdraw the last S-3 in 2009.

Specifications
Accommodation: Crew 4

Dimensions: Height 6.9 m, Length 16 m, Wingspan 20.6 m

Weights: Max Weight 23,600 kg (52,028 lb), Payload 1,780 kg (3,924 lb)

Engine/s Performance: Thrust 18,550 lb (8,414 kg)

Performance: Ceiling 12,200 m (40,026 ft), Max Range 4,300 km (2,322 nm), Top Speed 232 mps (Mach 0.70)

Other: Number of Engines 2

News
SLAM ER Standoff Weapon Tested at Maximum Range

SLAM ER Demonstrates Retargeting Capability

Operators

United States of America

Image Gallery

Next >>

Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

Last Updated: Saturday, October 25, 2008

Leave Feedback >>