S-3 Viking
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| S-3 Viking | |
|---|---|
 |
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| An S-3B Viking launches from the catapult aboard USS Abraham Lincoln. | |
| Type | Anti-submarine aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Corporation |
| Maiden flight | 1972-01-21 |
| Introduced | 1974 |
| Retired | 1998 (US-3A) S-3B currently in sundown with last operation squadron scheduled for deactivation 2009 |
| Status | Active service (ASW) |
| Primary user | United States Navy |
| Produced | 1974-1978 |
| Number built | 187 |
| Unit cost | US$27 million when new |
| Variants | ES-3 Shadow |
The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a jet aircraft used by the United States Navy to hunt and destroy enemy submarines and provide surveillance of surface shipping. A carrier-based, subsonic, all-weather, multi-mission aircraft with long range, it operates primarily with carrier battle groups in antisubmarine warfare roles. It carries automated weapon systems, and is capable of extended missions with in-flight refueling. Because of the engines’ high-pitched sound, it is nicknamed the "Hoover" after the brand of vacuum cleaner.
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[edit] Development
The S-3 Viking was designed by Lockheed with the assistance from Ling-Temco-Vought and UNIVAC to fit the United States Navy VSX (Heavier-than-air, Anti-submarine, Experimental) requirement for a replacement for the piston-engined Grumman S-2 Tracker. Since Lockheed had no experience in building carrier-based aircraft, LTV was responsible for construction of the folding wings and tail, the engine nacelles, and the landing gear which was derived from A-7 Corsair II (nose) and F-8 Crusader (main). UNIVAC built the onboard computers which integrated input from sensors and sonobuoys.[1] The first prototype flew on 1972-01-21 and the S-3 entered service in 1974. During the production run from 1974 to 1978, a total of 186 S-3As were built.
[edit] Description
The S-3 is a conventional monoplane with a high-mounted cantilever wing, swept 15°. It is powered by two TF-34 turbofan engines mounted in nacelles under the wings. The aircraft can seat four crew members with the pilot and the copilot/tactical coordinator (COTAC) in the front of the cockpit and the tactical coordinator (TACCO) and sensor operator (SENSO) in the back. All crew members sit on upward-firing Douglas Escapac zero-zero ejection seats. The wing is fitted with leading edge and Fowler flaps. Spoilers are fitted to both the upper and the lower surfaces of the wings. All control surfaces are actuated by dual hydraulically boosted irreversible systems. The aircraft has two underwing hardpoints that can be used to carry fuel tanks, general purpose and cluster bombs, missiles, rockets, and storage pods. It also has four internal bomb bay stations that can be used to carry general purpose bombs and torpedoes. A number of sonobuoy chutes are fitted, and there are three dispensers for chaff, flares, and expendable jammers. A retractable magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) boom is fitted in the tail.
[edit] Operational history
On 20 February 1974, the S-3A officially became operational with the VS-41 Shamrocks Fleet Replacement Squadron. The first operational cruise took place in 1977 with VS-21 Fighting Redtails aboard USS Constellation (CV-64).
Starting in 1991, some of these were upgraded to the S-3B with a number of new sensors, avionics, and weapons systems, including the capability to launch the AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile. The S-3B can also be fitted with "buddy stores" external fuel tanks that allow the Viking to refuel other aircraft. Sixteen S-3As were converted to ES-3 Shadows for carrier-based electronic reconnaissance (ELINT) duties. A few aircraft, designated US-3A, were also converted for utility and limited cargo duty.[1] Plans were also made to develop the KS-3A carrier-based tanker aircraft to replace the retired KA-6 but these were ultimately cancelled.
Since the submarine threat has been perceived as reduced, the Vikings have had the majority of their antisubmarine warfare equipment removed and are now used primarily for sea surface search, sea and ground attack, over-the-horizon targeting, and aircraft refueling.[1] As a result, crews are now usually limited to two, though three person crews are not unusual with certain missions.
A number of recent upgrade programs have been implemented. These include the Carrier Airborne Inertial Navigation System II (CAINS II) upgrade, which replaced older inertial navigation hardware with ring laser gyroscopes and additional GPS systems, and added electronic flight instruments (EFI). The Maverick Plus System (MPS) added the capability to employ the AGM-65E laser-guided or AGM-65F infrared-guided Maverick air-to-surface missile, and the AGM-84H/K Stand-off Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM/ER). The SLAM/ER is a GPS/inertial/infrared guided cruise missile that can be controlled by the aircrew in the terminal phase of flight if an AWW-13 data link pod is carried by the aircraft.[1]
The S-3B saw extensive service during the 1991 Gulf War, performing attack, tanker, and ELINT duties, and launching ADM-141 TALD decoys. The aircraft also participated in the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s and in Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001.
As the surviving S-3 airframes were forced into sundown, a Lockheed Martin full scale fatigue test was performed and extended the service life of the aircraft by approximately 11,000 hours. The current Navy plans call for the retirement of all Vikings by 2009 so new aircraft can be introducted to recapitalize the aging fleet inventory. Their missions will be spread among the other battlegroup fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. During FIDAE 2006 aerospace and defense trade show, the US Navy offered retired airframes to the navies of Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru, with deliveries beginning in 2009.
[edit] Notable flights
On May 1, 2003, US President George W. Bush rode in the co-pilot seat of a Viking that landed on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, where he delivered his "Mission Accomplished" speech announcing the end of major combat in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. This was the only Navy flight to date to use the callsign "Navy One". The pilot was the Executive Officer of VS-35, Navy Commander John "Skip" Lussier.
[edit] Variants
- S-3A
- First production version, 186 built.
- S-3B
- Upgraded avionics, AN/APS-137 inverse synthetic aperture radar, Joint Tactical Information Distribution System, AGM-84 Harpoon launch capability, first flight 13 September 1984, 119 converted from S-3As.
- ES-3A Shadow
- ELINT aircraft, AN/APS-137 inverse synthetic aperture radar, first flight 15 May 1991, 16 converted from S-3A.
- KS-3A
- Proposed dedicated air tanker with fuel capacity of 4,382 US gal (16,600 L), one coverted from YS-3A, later converted to US-3A.
- KS-3B
- Proposed air tanker based on S-3B and utilizing the buddy refueling system, not built.
- US-3A
- S-3A modified for carrier onboard delivery, capacity for six passengers or 4,680 lb (2,120 kg) of cargo, retired in 1998.
- Alladin Viking
- Classified modifications, used in the Bosnian War
- Beartrap Viking
- S-3Bs fitted with still-classified modifications.
- Callypso Viking
- Proposed anti-smuggling variant, not built.
- Gray Wolf Viking
- One aircraft fitted with AN/APG-76 radar in a modified cargo pod under the wing. Also dubbed SeaSTARS in reference to E-8 Joint STARS.
- Orca Viking
- Avionics testbed.
- Outlaw Viking
- One S-3B fitted with Over-the-horizon Airborne Sensor Information System (OASIS III), returned to regular S-3B in 1998.
[edit] Specifications (S-3A)
Data from Standard Aircraft Characteristics[2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 4
- Length: 53 ft 4 in (16.26 m)
- Wingspan:
- Unfolded: 68 ft 8 in (20.93 m)
- Folded: 29 ft 6 in (9.00 m)
- Height: 22 ft 9 in (6.93 m)
- Wing area: 598 ft² (55.56 m²)
- Empty weight: 26,581 lb (12,057 kg)
- Loaded weight: 38,192 lb (17,324 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 52,539 lb (23,831 kg)
- Powerplant: 2× General Electric TF34-GE-2 turbofans, 9,275 lbf (41.26 kN) each
- Internal fuel capacity: 1,933 US gal (7,320 L) of JP-5 fuel
- External fuel capacity: 2x 300 US gal (1,136 L) tanks
Performance
- Maximum speed:
- 429 knots (493 mph, 795 km/h) at sea level
- Mach 0.73, 447 knots (514 mph, 828 km/h) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
- Cruise speed: 350 knots (405 mph, 650 km/h)
- Stall speed: 97 knots (112 mph, 180 km/h)
- Combat radius: 2,765 nm (3,182 mi, 5,121 km)
- Service ceiling: 40,900 ft (12,465 m)
- Rate of climb: 5,120 ft/min (26.0 m/s)
- Wing loading: 68.5 lb/ft² (334 kg/m²)
- Thrust/weight: 0.353
Armament
- Up to 4,900 lb (2,220 kg) on four internal and two external hardpoints, including:
- 12× 500 lb (227 kg) Mark 82 bombs
- 4× Mark 46 torpedos
- 6× mines or depth charges
- 2× B57 nuclear bombs
The two underwing hardpoints can also be fitted with unguided rocket pods or 300 US gal (1,136 L) fuel tanks.
Avionics
- AN/APS-116 sea search radar, maximum range 150 nm (173 mi, 278 km)
- OR-89 forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera with 3x zoom
- AN/ARS-2 sonobuoy receiver with 13 blade antennae on the airframe for precise buoy location
- AN/ASQ-81 magnetic anomaly detector (MAD)
- AN/ASN-92 inertial guidance system with doppler radar navigation and TACAN
- Up to 60 sonobuoys
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Goebel, Greg (2005-05-01). The Lockheed S-3 Viking. Air Vectors. Retrieved on 2006-05-11.
- ^ Standard Aircraft Characteristics. Navy Model S-3A Aircraft. Navair 00-110AS3-1.
[edit] Related content
Related development
Comparable aircraft
Designation sequence
- S-2 - S-3
Related lists
- List of ASW aircraft
- List of Lockheed aircraft
- List of military aircraft of the United States
- List of active United States military aircraft
Timeline of aviation
Aircraft • Aircraft manufacturers • Aircraft engines • Aircraft engine manufacturers • Airports • Airlines
Air forces • Aircraft weapons • Missiles • Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) • Experimental aircraft
Notable accidents and incidents on commercial aircraft • People who died in aviation incidents
