Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic

The Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic is a maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft which has been in service with the French, German, Italian, and Dutch Navy since the Cold War. It was designed, developed, and produced by the French firm Breguet Aviation. It is a very effective and reliable, long-range maritime aircraft, whose systems and power plant have comprehensively been upgraded and improved a few times since its introduction in the 1960s. It succeeded the American Lockheed P-2 Neptune aircraft in European service.

Upon a NATO requirement, Breguet Aviation designed and built four prototypes for a maritime reconnaissance aircraft. The first prototype of the Atlantic first flew on October 31, 1961, at Toulouse. It was flown by test pilot Bernard Witt. After almost two years of flight tests, the first official order was placed on June 6, 1963. This purchase order comprised 20 aircraft for France and 20 for West Germany. The aircraft would officially enter service with the French Navy (Marine Nationale) on July 27, 1965, as the Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic ('Atlantique' in French). Around 130 aircraft would be produced. Today, as of 2026, it continues to patrol the seas, flying over the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean.

Technical Description

The Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic is a large, twin-engine monoplane. It has an all-metal, monocoque fuselage and straight, low wing, with dihedral angle. The wing leading edge is straight, while the trailing edge tapers towards the tip. Its high aspect ratio wing grants it good long-range cruising performance. A metal honeycomb sandwich wing skinning was designed with the purpose to minimize leaks from the integral wing fuel tanks. The aircraft is fitted with electronic countermeasures equipment and sensor, which is located on top of the tail assembly vertical fin. Meanwhile, the tail is fitted with a long tailcone extension boom, which contains the MAD (Magnetic Anomaly Detector). To carry out anti-submarine missions, it is also equipped with a Thomson-CSF search radar, which is capable of detecting a submarine snorkel up to 100 km. The plane has a pressurized cabin, big enough to lodge a crew of 12 men.

Specifications

Type: maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare

Length: 31.75 m (104 feet, 2 inches)

Wing Span: 36.30 m (119 feet, 1 inch)

Wing Area: 120.34 m2 (1,295 square feet)

Height: 11.33 m (37 feet, 2 inches)

Power Plant: two Rolls-Royce Tyne RTy-20 Mk.21 turboprop engines, each delivering 6,100 HP.

Maximum Speed: 658 km/h (409 mph)

Range: 9,075 km (5,635 miles)

Endurance: 18 hours

Service Ceiling: 10,000 m (32,808 feet)

Crew: 12

Armament: two torpedoes and up to 3,500 kg of depth charges or mines.

Above, the Breguet Atlantic-1 in flight in the 1980s. Notice the Thomson-CSF search radar on belly of aircraft.

The Br.1150 Atlantic in service with the Deutche Marine (German Navy).

Lockheed P-3 Orion

The Lockheed P-3 Orion was a long-range, anti-submarine and early warning aircraft, which was in service with the US Navy for more than fifty years. Based on a commercial aircraft, it had been turned into a high-tech, military airplane to cope with the Soviet nuclear submarine threat during the Cold War, replacing the P-2 Neptune in the 1960s. It was exported to allied nations, such as Japan, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Also an electronic intelligence gathering variant would be operated by the Navy.

Developed from the Lockheed L-188 Electra airline aircraft, the prototype of the Orion, the YP3V-1 first took to the air on November 25, 1959, from Burbank, California. The flight test phase lasted less than three years, entering service with the US Navy on August 27, 1962, as the P3V-1, which would be redesignated P-3A on September 18, that year. Equipped with four turboprop engines and a wide wing-span, the Orion was a reliable aircraft capable of long-range flights and 'loiter' for hours over the oceans, searching for Soviet submarines. The P-3B, P-3C, and the EP-3 versions were also built, with production totaling 757 aircraft.

The P-3 Orion had good short-field performance and handling as well as ample fuselage space for the crew, heavy electronic equipment, and weapons. A team of six service men operated the sonic, electronic surveillance and radar equipment in the center fuselage section. Update programs would keep this anti-submarine warfare aircraft abreast of advances in military technology as a new version was offered to the British RAF to replace the Nimrod patrol aircraft.

Below, the YP3V-1 prototype in flight in late 1959.

Technical Description

The Lockheed P-3 Orion was a four-engine monoplane, which had an cylindrical, all-metal fuselage. It was fitted with straight, cantilever low-wing, with dihedral angle. The wing leading edge was straight but the trailing edge tapered slightly towards the tip. The tail assembly fin rudder and tailplane elevators were made of aluminum alloy. At the extreme rear end of fuselage, there was a tail boom with a cone, which housed the AN/ASQ-81 magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) for spotting and tracking submerged submarines. The P-3C version of the Orion was powered by four Allison F56-A-14 turboprop engines, each one capable of generating 4,910 horsepower.

Specifications

Type: anti-submarine, patrol, and surveillance aircraft.

Length: 35.5 m (116 feet, 7 inches)

Wing Span: 30.37 m (99 feet, 6 inches)

Wing Area: 120.77 m2 (1,300 square feet)

Power Plant: four Allison T56-A-14 turboprop engines.

Maximum Speed: 750 km/h (466 mph)

Range: 7,668 km (4,765 miles)

Service Ceiling: 8,625 m (28,297 feet)

Crew: 11

Armament: AGM-84D Harpoon anti-ship missiles; Mk-46/50 torpedoes; plus depth charges and other weapons.

Below, a P-3 Orion assigned to VP-4 "Skinny Dragons" takes off from NAS North Island, California.

Dorsal view of a P-3A Orion in flight in 1963.

A P-3C version (QE-913), assigned to VP-40 in flight, with the landing gear in transit.

Below, the P-3B Orion (BuNo 152737) of VP-9 is armed with four AGM-12 Bullpup air-to-air missiles.

One EP-3E Orion electronic surveillance aircraft banks away. You can see its large circular radome on its ventral side of aircraft.

Below, one Orion flying low over the Pacific Ocean during patrol duties. Notice the tail boom holding the AN/ASQ-81 magnetic anomaly detector.

Lockheed S-3 Viking

The Lockheed S-3 Viking was a carrier-borne, anti-submarine aircraft which was introduced into service with the US Navy in 1974. It was operational during the last part of the Cold War, and the period that followed, until it was completely phased out in 2016. The S-3 Viking was developed as a need to counter the menace of Soviet ballistic and attack submarines, which were the biggest threat to a carrier battle group.

The task of this naval aircraft was to find, locate and track the lethal Soviet submarines and stop them in their tracks during a potential armed conflict with the Soviet Union. Its surprisingly compact airframe held sophisticated electronics and powerful weapons, with which to fight against an enemy that lurked deep in the oceans of the world.

Designed to replace the Grumman S-2 Tracker in the anti-submarine warfare role, the prototype of the Viking, the YS-3, made its maiden flight on January 21, 1972. Although it officially entered service with the US Navy in February 1974, when it made its first carrier landing, its operational debut took place in December 1975, aboard the USS John F. Kennedy. It marked a new era of anti-submarine warfare because it was equipped with an onboard advanced digital computer, which improved detection systems. The first version of the aircraft was the S-3A, whose performance was far better than the S-2 Tracker. Most S-3As would be converted into the S-3B variant, with the addition of Harpoon anti-ship missiles and new avionics in the late 1980s, extending its operational life into the 1990s and beyond.

Below, a S-3B Viking about to touch down on the flight deck of a US Navy's carrier in the 1980s.

Technical Description

The Lockheed S-3 Viking was a four-seat, twin-engine monoplane, whose fuselage was of all-metal construction. It had swept, high wing, whose outer panels could be folded up inwards to reduce stowage space in the carrier hangar. It had a conventional tail assembly, whose vertical stabilizer (fin) could be folded down. The S-3B version of the aircraft was powered by two wing-mounted General Electric TF34-GE-2 turbofan engines, each of which could generate 9,270 pounds of thrust. To detect enemy submarines, it was fitted with one Texas Instrument APS-170 search radar, which was set up in the nose of aircraft.

Specifications

Type: anti-submarine warfare, carrier-based aircraft

Length: 16.26 m (53 feet, 4 inches)

Wing Span: 20.93 m (68 feet, 8 inches)

Wing Area: 55.56 m2 (554 square feet)

Height: 6.93 m (22 feet, 9 inches)

Power Plant: two General Electric TF34-GE-2 turbofan engines.

Maximum Speed: 814 km/h (505 mph) at sea level.

Range: 5,558 km (3,445 miles)

Service Ceiling: 10,670 m (35,000 feet)

Crew: 4

Armament: torpedoes, depth charges, and AGM-84 Harpoon air-to-surface missiles.

Below, S-3B version of the Viking in flight.

The anti-submarine warfare aircraft parked, with folded wing, on a naval base.

Below, front view of a Viking of VS-28 "Gamblers" on the deck of the USS Forrestal in 1985.

The cockpit of the S-3B, showing its advanced instrumentation panel.

Lockheed P-2 Neptune

The Lockheed P-2 Neptune was a long-range, anti-submarine aircraft. It was in service with the US Navy from 1947 to 1984. It was the West's answer to the Soviet submarines during the first half of the Cold War. It was equipped with a wide array of weapons, which included depth charges, torpedoes, bombs, and rockets. It was also used as a maritime patrol aircraft, also playing an anti-surface ship role. In 1982, an Argentine Navy's Neptune guided the Super Etendard bomber, which sank the HMS Sheffield destroyer with an Exocet missile.

Originally designated P2V, the Lockheed P-2 was used during the Korean War to insert secret agents behind enemy lines. During the Vietnam War, it was employed as a reconnaissance and maritime patrol aircraft, also relaying communications from CIA agents. However, the P2V Neptune spent most of its career stalking Soviet submarines, operating from land airbases or from aircraft carriers. Aside from its anti-submarine role, it also had other capabilities, such as electronic intelligence and countermeasures, and drone launching.

The Lockheed P-2 Neptune prototype, the XP2V-1, first took to the air on May 17, 1945. It was introduced into service with the US Navy on March 20, 1947, as the P2V-1. In 1962, it would be redesignated the P-2. A total of 1,181 aircraft would be built in different versions, and it would be sold to several countries, which included Australia, Argentina, Brazil, and Canada. Piloted by commander Thomas P. Davies, it broke a world record, flying 18,227 km (11,326 miles) from Perth, Australia, to Columbus, Ohio, in 55 hours, 17 minutes. This record showed the aircraft long range and endurance capacity.

Below, the P-2H (P2V-7) version in flight in the 1970s.

Technical Description

The Lockheed P-2 Neptune was a two-engine, mid-wing monoplane, which was fitted with a tricycle landing gear. The fuselage was an all-metal, semi-monocoque. An all-metal, cantilever wing was attached to it. Its tail assembly was composed of a large vertical fin and rudder, and a variable tailplane (horizontal stabilizer), to take account of changes in weight and center of gravity. The wing ailerons were of conventional operation; however, spring tabs were fitted, acting as servo tabs at high speeds. The wing also had modified Fowler high lift flaps.

The Lockheed P-2 was powered by two Wright R-3350-32W turbo compound, radial piston engines, each of which put out 3,500 horsepower. To carry out its anti-submarine and maritime patrol missions, it was equipped with one AN/ASQ-8 magnetic anomaly detector radar, which was mounted in an extended tail boom, and with one AN/APS-20 surface search radar, which was set up on belly of aircraft.

Specifications

Type: long-range anti-submarine aircraft

Length: 27.94 m (91 feet, 8 inches)

Wing Span: 31.65 m (103 feet, 10 inches)

Wing Area: 92.90 m2 (1,000 square feet)

Height: 8.94 m (29 feet, 4 inches)

Power Plant: two Wright -R-3350-32W radial, piston engines.

Maximum Speed: 648 km/h (403 mph)

Range: 5,930 km (3,685 miles)

Service Ceiling: 6,800 m (22,310 feet)

Crew: 7/ or 12

Armament: torpedoes, depth charges, bombs, and rockets.

Below, Lockheed P-2E (P2V-5) version flying over the Atlantic Ocean.

The Neptune during anti-submarine exercises.

Below, the P2V-3C variant about to take off from an USS aircraft carrier.

Grumman S-2 Tracker

The Grumman S-2 Tracker was a carrier-based, anti-submarine warfare aircraft used by the US Navy during the Cold War. The original designation was S2F. It performed its maiden flight as the XS2F-1 on December 4, 1952. This first prototype was powered by two Wright R-1820 engines, each delivering 1,500 horsepower. In all, 1,269 Trackers were produced, including 100 under license by de Havilland of Canada. The S-2E was the most numerous version, while the S-2T had turboprop engines and was a conversion for civil aviation.

After fourteen months of trials, this naval aircraft entered service on February 25, 1954, as the S2F-1, which was nicknamed 'the Stoof' by the American pilots. In 1962, the US Navy changed its designation and called it the 'S-2 Tracker', which was the first anti-submarine warfare aircraft specially designed for such role. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, it flew sorties over the Caribbean Sea in search of Soviet submarines. Despite its satisfactory service, it would be replaced by the Lockheed S-3 Viking aircraft in 1974.

Below, a photo of the XS2F-1 prototype in flight.

Technical Description

The Grumman S-2 Tracker was a four-seat, twin-engine aircraft, which was fitted with straight shoulder wing. It had an all-metal fuselage, which was made of aluminum alloy. For hunting submarines, this naval aircraft featured a belly-mounted radome containing an AN/APS-38 search radar and a retractable magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) boom, which protruded backwards from the tail.

The Tracker's wings had a special folding system, which was different from other carrier-borne aircraft's. The hinge line was angled, allowing the starboard wing to be folded forward in front of the port wing. This arrangement gave the aircraft the lowest possible profile for storage aboard carriers. To improve its lift efficiency, the aircraft employed a fixed wing slot on the undersurface of the outer wing panels to the rear of the wing leading edge.

Specifications (S-2E)

Type: anti-submarine warfare aircraft.

Length: 13.26 m (43 ft, 6 in)

Wing Span: 22.12 m (72 ft, 6 in)

Wing Area: 46.08 m2 (496 sq. ft)

Height: 5.07 m (16 ft, 8 in)

Power Plant: two Wright R-1820-82WA piston engines, each producing 1,525 HP.

Maximum Speed: 404 km/h (250 mph)

Range: 1,480 km (920 miles)

Service Ceiling: 6,125 m (20,000 ft)

Armament: two torpedoes; depth charges; rockets.

Crew: 4

Below, the Tracker parked on a naval base, with folded wings.

The S-2E version in flight, with the MAD tail boom fully extended.

Below, the aircraft in flight around 1973.