#1195A 5 Sqn P-3K2 Orion print
Description
Squadron Prints Lithograph No. 1195A - NZ4201, P-3K2 Orion, 5 Squadron, RNZAF Base Auckland.
No. 5 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force was formed in November 1941 as the New Zealand Defence Force expanded to meet the inevitable fact of a Pacific War. Based in Fiji with Vincents, then four elderly Short Singapore flying boats, the Squadron provided a long-range maritime patrol force for that region. 5 Squadron was disbanded in 1942, but reformed again at Fiji in 1944 with Catalina flying boats. The Squadron moved to the operational area of the South West Pacific in late 1944, operating from Espiritu Santo to the Admiralty Islands. Following WWII, the Squadron relocated to Lauthala Bay (Fiji). Short Sunderland flying boats replaced the Catalinas in 1953. In 1966 the majority of the Squadron was moved to Whenuapai and took delivery of five new Lockheed P-3B Orions. Lauthala Bay was closed and the Sunderlands were withdrawn in 1967. A sixth (NZ4206) Orion was purchased from the RAAF in 1985. The P−3Bs were partially modified by Boeing from 1982 under Project Rigel and redesignated P−3K. Project Rigel replaced the radar, navigation and communication systems, and data management system. A structural upgrade to the aircraft was completed in 2000 under Project Kestrel, extending the airframe life of the P−3K. From 2005 the P−3K aircraft undertook a further upgrade to improve or replace mission equipment, including sensors, navigation and communication equipment, and to provide improved ground support systems. These upgraded aircraft were redesignated P−3K2. Operations have seen aircraft and crews from 5 Squadron travel to many different countries. The Squadron has won the prestigious international maritime FINCASTLE competition on several occasions. In 1998 a short term detachment of two Orions, were dispatched to the Arabian Gulf in support of a build-up of coalition forces in the region. Between May 2003 and February 2004 a detachment was deployed to contribute to Operation Enduring Freedom, flying a total of 142 missions conducting Maritime Interdiction Operations in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. In February 2006, 5 Squadron deployed to Antarctica for the first time as a trial to pave the way for Antarctic-based maritime surveillance operations and the aircraft are now regularly operating from New Zealand south to the Ross Ice Shelf. In 2014 a P-3K2 deployed on OP TROY, which was later designated OP TAKAPU, to conduct Maritime Security Operations in the Middle East Region in support of Combined Maritime Forces, in maritime security, anti-terrorism, anti-narcotics, and anti-piracy operations. Multiple deployments under the OP TAKAPU banner ended in 2018 with crews flying 305 missions and over 2400 hours. In 2018 No. 5 Squadron deployed a P-3K2 to Japan for OP WHIO conducting Maritime Security Patrols in support of the United Nation Mission implementing Security Council Sanctions in the East China Sea. The P-3K2 flew alongside international partners to detect maritime activity that contravened UN sanctions, in particular, ship-to-ship transfers. The P-3K2 was regularly detached to Japan during the years following with the final deployment being in November 2021.
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