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Caption:
Okinawa, Japan (Mar. 11, 2005) -- Airman Lawrence Than salutes a P-3C
Orion, assigned to the “Tigers” to Patrol Squadron Eight
(VP-8), prior to take-off 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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