The squadron's main mission is the maritime patrol, as well as both the anti-submarine (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW). It also has assigned search and rescue (SAR), and mine laying as its secondary missions.[2]
Portugal had lacked a dedicated aircraft for maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare since 1977, when its fleet of Lockheed P-2 Neptune was retired and 61 Squadron was disbanded. As such, until the entry in service of the P-3 Orion, the Portuguese Air Force relied on CASA C-212 Aviocar aircraft, from 401 and 502 Squadron, and on Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, from 501 Squadron, for maritime patrol and SAR missions.[5] 601 Squadron is the heir of the traditions of the PoAF's previous maritime patrol squadrons, mainly 61 Squadron, 62 Squadron, and 91 Squadron.[2]
On August 7, 1988, the first P-3P was delivered at Air Base No. 6 (Portuguese: Base Aérea Nº 6, BA6), at Montijo, Portugal, where the squadron was based. For the next two years all of the squadron's activity was dedicated to the training and qualification by Lockheed of the air crews. After 1990 the squadron was certified to instruct and certify as instructors its own personnel.[2][4]
The squadron participated in Operation Sharp Guard, which occurred from June 1993 to October 1996, in the blockade of Yugoslavia, having performed 576 missions and a total of 3,712 flight hours.
From April 22, 2010, to late August 2010, the last operational P-3P of 601 Sqn. operated from Mahé while participating in Operation Atalanta. During this mission the squadron performed 40 missions and a total of 320 flight hours.[2]
In August 2010 the first of five P-3C Orion aircraft purchased from the Royal Netherlands Navy, to replace the six P-3P then in service with the PoAF, arrived in Beja. These aircraft were upgraded by Lockheed Martin, having been refurbished, received new wings and the Capability Upkeep Program Plus (CUP+) upgrade.[2][4][7][8]
On April 17, 2011, the squadron executed its first operational deployment with the new P-3C CUP+ aircraft during Operation Ocean Shield.
On October 13, 2011, a P-3P with the serial number 14805 performed its last flight in Beja, thus also performing the last flight of the P-3P fleet in service with the air force.[3]
Since the squadron's activation it has also participated in numerous other national and international exercises, most notably: Ocean Safari, Dogfish, Strong Resolve, Linked Seas, Noble Manta, Sharkhunt, Grampus, and Real Thaw.[2]
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner; it is easily distinguished from the Electra by its distinctive tail stinger or "MAD" boom, used for the magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) of submarines.
The Lockheed CP-140 Aurora is a maritime patrol aircraft operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force. The aircraft is based on the Lockheed P-3 Orion airframe, but mounts the electronics suite of the Lockheed S-3 Viking. "Aurora" refers to the Roman goddess of dawn who flies across the sky each morning ahead of the sun. Aurora also refers to the Aurora Borealis, the "northern lights", that are prominent over northern Canada and the Arctic Ocean.
Patrol Squadron 10 (VP-10) is a United States Navy Patrol Squadron based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It is nicknamed the "Red Lancers" and is equipped with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon. It is the third squadron to be designated VP-10. The first VP-10 was redesignated VP-2D15 on 21 September 1927 and the second VP-10 was redesignated VP-25 on 1 July 1939.
No. 10 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) signals intelligence squadron based at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia. It is part of No. 42 Wing RAAF. The squadron was formed in 1939 as a maritime patrol unit. It saw active service during the Second World War, conducting anti-submarine operations and patrols from bases in the United Kingdom until it disbanded in late 1945. It was re-formed in Australia in 1949 and since then has contributed to Australia's East Timor intervention, and has been deployed to the Middle East as part of the War on Terrorism and the 2003 Gulf War. Most recently it now has a signals intelligence mission.
The Portuguese Air Force is the aerial warfare force of Portugal. Locally it is referred to by the acronym FAP but internationally is often referred to by the acronym PRTAF. It is the youngest of the three branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces.
No. 292 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operational conversion unit based at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia. The squadron was formed on 1 January 1977 as the Maritime Analysis Training Squadron and renamed No. 292 Squadron on 27 October 1980. Throughout its history it has formed part of No. 92 Wing and been responsible for training aircrew to operate the RAAF's Lockheed P-3 Orion and Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. It took responsibility for training Poseidon maintenance and operations personnel in 2018.
No. 92 Wing is the maritime patrol wing of the Royal Australian Air Force. Headquartered at RAAF Base Edinburgh, 92WG is part of the Surveillance and Response Group, and with the transitioning of No. 10 Squadron to 42 Wing with effect 1 May 2019 – 92 Wing currently comprises two squadrons – No. 11 Squadron for operational duty, and No. 292 Squadron for training. The wing also has a detachment headquarters at RMAF Base Butterworth in Malaysia. 92WG operates 12 P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The P-8A is multi-role platform, capable of F2T2EA. Its roles include anti-submarine and anti-surface surveillance and warfare, for which the aircraft are equipped with MK54 torpedoes and Harpoon anti shipping missiles. It is also responsible for long range intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and maritime attack missions, Naval support and search and survivor supply missions. The Australian Maritime search area of responsibility constitutes approximately 11% of the Earth's surface, the largest area of responsibility for any single country.
The Lockheed AP-3C Orion is a variant of the P-3 Orion used by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) for tasks such as naval fleet support, maritime surveillance, search and survivor supply and anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare. The 18 AP-3C Orions were upgraded from P-3Cs between 1997 and 2005, with the program taking three years longer than expected due to systems integration problems. All 18 AP-3C Orions are operated by No. 92 Wing which is based at RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia. Aircraft from the wing have seen service as part of Australian Defence Force operations in Australia, South East Asia and the Middle East.
Beja Air Base, officially designated as Air Base No. 11 is one of the most important military airbases in Portugal, 9 km (5.6 mi) northwest of Beja, 100 km (62 mi) north of Algarve. It is used by the Portuguese Air Force (PoAF) and has two parallel runways in the 01/19 direction, the biggest being 3,450 m × 60 m. The base is home to two training squadrons, one helicopter squadron and one maritime patrol squadron.
201 Squadron "Falcões" is a fighter squadron of the Portuguese Air Force, operating the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
Patrol Squadron Eight (VP-8) is a U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida (USA). VP-8 is tasked to undertake maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The Squadron is equipped with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon.
Patrol Squadron Four (VP-4) is a U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron based at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, Washington, which is tasked to undertake maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions flying the Boeing P-8 Poseidon.
The Pakistan Naval Air Arm is the naval aviation branch within the Pakistan Navy that is responsible for aerial operations from the seaborne platform.
Patrol Squadron 9 (VP-9) is a U.S. Navy patrol squadron with its homeport located at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. As of 2018, VP-9 is part of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten, Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific.
VP-31, Patrol Squadron 31 was a maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy. It was established on 30 June 1960 to train replacement aircrew and maintenance personnel. It was disestablished on 1 November 1993.
401 Squadron "Cientistas" was an aerial reconnaissance, photography and maritime patrol squadron of the Portuguese Air Force disbanded in 2011. The squadron also conducted counter-narcotic operations, monitoring of marine pollution in the Portuguese exclusive economic zone, and natural resource surveying.
Sintra Air Base, officially designated as Air Base No. 1, is a Portuguese Air Force base located in the Sintra Municipality, Portugal. The base is home to a flight training squadron and the Portuguese Air Force Academy.
VP-65, nicknamed the Tridents, was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy Reserve. The squadron was established on 16 November 1970 at NAS Los Alamitos, California, and moved on 6 January 1971 to NAS Point Mugu. It was disestablished on 4 March 2006, after 35 years of service. Elements of the squadron made 22 major overseas deployments.
In the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), the Fleet Air Force is its naval aviation branch, responsible for both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft and headquartered in Naval Air Facility Atsugi. As of 2012, it was equipped with over 200 fixed-wing aircraft and 150 helicopters. These aircraft operate from bases throughout Japan, as well as from the JMSDF's ships.
Borst, Marco P.J. (June 2000). "The Watching Wolves of Portugal"(PDF). Maritime Patrol Aviation Magazine. VP International: 4–6. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
Rebelo, Colonel Hélder Martins; Rocha, Major Rui; Martins, Major Vítor Lazera (November–December 2012). "ISR - Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance"(PDF). Mais Alto (in Portuguese). Lisbon: Portuguese Air Force (400): 5–16. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
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