P3 Orion lifestyle

[xj220]

As someone who is taking part in these missions, I can tell you it's nice to be able to contribute and help the guys on the ground. While we're not in the land of per diem, the land of tax free and flight hours is just as sweet. It's an ever changing landscape of mission sets and we're covering a wide variety duties. We're not completely neglecting our ASW aspect, we do still get to practice it, however it's taking a back seat to what's going on right now.

 

[wingsB4rings]

Not yet it isn't. Our leadership endorsed the request to switch back to a 12 month IDRC, but it will be decided outside of our community if it will be approved. Last I have heard, it is favorable, but hasn't been approved yet. Specifically your squadron is still slated for an 18 month IDRC. Note, I am sure all this will change four or five more times, but that is the latest.

It has been approved, and the funding has been secured. I heard it first hand from CPRG 2 weeks ago when he visited Jax and talked to a bunch of aircrew, and heard it from CPRW-11 himself this morning. Beginning in December 2011, there will be 4 forward deployed squadrons at a time (vice the 3 that are right now). Although he couldn't say exactly which squadron will have the first 12 month IDRC, he did say with 100% certainty that it has been approved with funding secured.

 

[insanebikerboy]

I worry about the day when there's suddenly a no-shit sub-surface threat to US national security interests, and MPA has trouble answering the 911 call.

It's ok, the powers that be will just call up an HS squadron and we'll take care of the problem.

 

[PropStop]

P-3 Life = Pimps + hoes.

The pilots are the pimps...the FOs...well, it rhymes.

 

[incubus852]

I apologize, I did try searching but perhaps the info is buried in a long thread or aged out. I will keep looking.

Thanks,

Brad

Thread jack. I don't mean to insult the webmasters, but the search function doesn't function or search too well.

 

[Kaman]

How tough a lifestyle can it be...NO tailhook, NO "elephant scabs, ravioli or sliders" at mid-Rats...AND, you get per diem! Oh, and the damned things can't hover either...

 

[P3 F0]

Or refuel.

 

[zippy]

Or refuel.

Yet...

 

[NavAir42]

As far as ASW vs ISR, one argument I find interesting, don't necessarily disagree with, is essentially, it's easy to do ISR, if a crew is good at ASW, they can be good at ISR (without needing the hours to train on it.) ASW missions are certainly more challenging in many ways, but I don't think we try very hard to find a way to be THE BEST ISR platform or crew. We have all sorts of metrics for good ASW- in the end, does the torp hit the sub, but the community doesn't challenge the crews to find the best ways to use their sensors for ISR. Maybe not what the ASW-only group wants to hear, but I think we could be even better with ISR than we are.
I say, more of both! And more maritime patrol (rigging/querying ships) missions! More hours for all my friends!

Agree completely. ISR isn't difficult. For a pilot it basically consists of: remember what direction the camera is pointed, don't go below the hard deck, don't fly into stand off, and don't fly into anyone else. If your crew is good at ASW, ISR isn't a huge transition. Personally, I found the ISR mission hugely rewarding and I've had buddies on the ground who've been grateful to have a P-3 overhead. I never thought I'd hear that from a Marine. And while I came into P-3s on the stories of my father spending deployment after deployment tracking Russian boats all over the world (I would kill to fly on just one, at this point), I'm perfectly content having been the eyes in the sky for my deployments.

 

[ElCidAv8tor05]

Don't worry, LAMPS will answer that call... ohh wait. It's a little difficult to do ASW with an ADS failure. At least my SSC skills are top notch. (posted from a hotel room in Bahrain while I'm sipping champagne waiting for my child to be born on Skype).

Airborne ASW is a highly perishable skill and also one that is difficult to master. You have to constantly practice it in order to remain proficient, and real world ASW (in my opinion) is 10X more beneficial to maintaining skills than anything you can do in the WST. I understand that it's exciting to be where the action is and to feel like you're making a contribution to current-day ops, and I don't begrudge anyone who wants to do this or makes the decision to employ MPA this way. However, there should be no dispute that more overland ISR time means less time doing ASW and therefore decreases the ASW capability of both the aircrew and the aircraft. I worry about the day when there's suddenly a no-shit sub-surface threat to US national security interests, and MPA has trouble answering the 911 call.

 

[OnTopTime]

Don't worry, LAMPS will answer that call... ohh wait. It's a little difficult to do ASW with an ADS failure. At least my SSC skills are top notch. (posted from a hotel room in Bahrain while I'm sipping champagne waiting for my child to be born on Skype).

Can you still only carry 25 buoys? How much on-station time will that give you with a short MDR target, when you're limited to passive only?

Congratulations on the birth of your child!

 

[ElCidAv8tor05]

Can you still only carry 25 buoys? How much on-station time will that give you with a short MDR target, when you're limited to passive only?

Congratulations on the birth of your child!

Short MDR are the least of my worries, especially when my acoustic processor keeps failing. I once flew a BT event sans acoustic processor; thank God for Hawklink and a semi-competent sonar tech on the boat.

Thanks for the congrat on the baby. Nothing quite like sitting in a hotel room waiting for email updates on the birth of your child...

 

[eas7888]

Short MDR are the least of my worries, especially when my acoustic processor keeps failing. I once flew a BT event sans acoustic processor; thank God for Hawklink and a semi-competent sonar tech on the boat.

Thanks for the congrat on the baby. Nothing quite like sitting in a hotel room waiting for email updates on the birth of your child...

I remember my first deployment to Iraq. Some guys didn't even know that their babies had been born until a week or two after the fact. That sucks man, I really feel for you. I have a kid due in less than three weeks, and I couldn't imagine being in your shoes right now. Best of luck to you, your wife, and your child! I hope you get home to see them soon.

On a side note, I know the DOD instituted a policy of 10 day paternity leave for parents deployed in OIF/OEF. I'm not sure if that applies to you or not, but it's something you might look in to. If I can probably find a reference for you if you need one.

 

[Kaman]

Short MDR are the least of my worries, especially when my acoustic processor keeps failing. I once flew a BT event sans acoustic processor; thank God for Hawklink and a semi-competent sonar tech on the boat.

I wonder how your semi-competent AW would respond to that remark...Sir!

 

[ElCidAv8tor05]

Zing!!! The AWs were in the back kicking the crap out of the processor trying everything they could to try and salvage the event.

Thanks everyone for the well wishes wrt the baby. i'll be home in a few months and my wife is really good about sending pictures, etc so I'll be fine. That is until the boat decides to block facebook, then i'm screwed. haha