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Caption:
Okinawa, Japan (Mar. 11, 2005) -- Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Joseph
Pfelisticker and Airman Llyod Lewis clean bomb racks on a P-3C Orion,
assigned to the “Tigers” to Patrol Squadron Eight (VP-8) in
Okinawa, Japan. VP-8 is home-based in Brunswick, Maine and is currently
on deployment to Okinawa, Japan. Originally designed as a land-based,
long-range, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) patrol aircraft, the P-3C's
mission has evolved in the late 1990s and early 21st century to include
surveillance of the battle-space, either at sea or over land. Its long
range and long loiter time have proved invaluable assets during
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) as it can view the battle-space and
instantaneously provide that information to ground troops, especially
U.S. Marines. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class
Shannon R. Smith (RELEASED)
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