Following the completion of an 18-million-dollar payment to the Kingdom of Norway on February 23, major inspection and refurbishment work began in the United States on the third P-3C Orion aircraft destined for the Naval Aviation Command of the Argentine Navy. The aircraft, identified as BuN 163298 and construction number C/N 3298, had been stored since March 2023 at the U.S. AMARG facility. Its technical reconditioning will require several months before its final delivery to Argentina, marking a new step forward within the cooperation program with Norway, the main supplier of these maritime patrol units.
This new milestone forms part of the agreement signed in 2023, which provides for the delivery of three P-3C aircraft for maritime reconnaissance and surveillance, in addition to one P-3N configured for search and rescue (SAR) missions. With the recent payment, the transfer of the third P-3C was unblocked, in line with the schedule anticipated by the Argentine Navy during the presentation of the second Orion in November 2025. According to those projections, the arrival of this aircraft will take place throughout 2026, while the fourth unit will be reserved for a later stage.
The work being carried out in the United States includes a complete structural inspection, a comprehensive overhaul of engines and systems, as well as modernization of avionics and mission equipment. All tasks are being executed under the supervision of specialized contractors and Argentine naval personnel, with the aim of ensuring the aircraft’s full operational capability prior to its ferry flight to Naval Air Base Comandante Espora. During a recent visit by a delegation from the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) to Keystone’s facilities, the company MHD-ROCKLAND, responsible for the refurbishment work, presented a scale model of the P-3 featuring the paint schemes used by the Royal Norwegian Air Force and that adopted by the Argentine Navy— a symbolic gesture of the strong bilateral relationship underpinning the program.
From an operational standpoint, the incorporation of this third P-3C Orion will significantly strengthen the capabilities of the Naval Aviation Command. With two aircraft already in service (serials 6-P-57 and 6-P-58), the fleet will expand its coverage over the South Atlantic and surveillance of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), key functions for the defense of national maritime interests. It will also allow for more efficient flight-hour planning and maintenance scheduling, ensuring greater availability of assets for SAR missions and joint operations with other forces.
While the third unit advances through its refurbishment process, the Argentine Navy remains firmly committed to completing the incorporation cycle agreed upon with Norway. If timelines are met as planned, 2026 could become a turning point in the recovery of the country’s maritime patrol aviation, restoring to the naval instrument an essential strategic capability for surveillance, defense, and the effective control of Argentina’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
*Image credits: MHD-ROCKLAND
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