L-3 works with CBP to make agency's P-3 fleet air worthy again
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The Integrated Systems (L-3 IS) of New York-based L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL) said it was working with DHS’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air/Marine officials to return the agency’s P-3 aircraft to flight. The CBP P-3 fleet was grounded recently after a crack was discovered in a wing corner-fitting by L-3 personnel performing heavy maintenance on one aircraft. Similar cracks on additional aircraft were found in subsequent inspections. L-3 IS is also working to sustain the U.S. Navy P-3 fleet until the P-8A aircraft will replace it.
Maintaining — or sustaining — the P-3s is no mean feat, as these planes are more than thirty-five years old. Bob Drewes, president of L-3 IS, says: “Based on our experience with U.S. Navy P-3s, we know it is possible to add at least 7,000 additional hours of inspection-free flight time to the airframes for a fraction of the cost of more radical solutions such as re-winging.”
