VIRIN: 230623-N-MT581-1392
The last P-3C Poseidon from the “Pro’s Nest” of VP-30 taxis for departure during the P-3C Orion Sundown Ceremony at NAS Jacksonville on June 23, 2023 before flying to Davis-Monthan AFB for storage. The ceremony commemorated 62 years of active service for the Orion. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Curtis D. Spencer)
A much larger, high-res version can be viewed or downloaded here:
https://www.dvidshub.net/download/image/7902393
(Posted image was cropped from the original.)
Lockheed P-3C-210-LO Orion BMUP+
BuNo 161415
LL-415
c/n 285A-5755
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“Pro’s Nest” Sundown Ceremony Marks the End of an Era
June 23, 2023
Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Curtis Spencer
Patrol Squadron 30
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Patrol Squadron 30 hosted a sundown ceremony for the P-3C Orion at VP-30 headquarters in Jacksonville on June 23, 2023.
Sailors, aviation leadership, local media, and distinguished guests were in attendance to commemorate the aircraft’s 62 years of active service to the Fleet. The Orion had been the Navy’s frontline, land-based maritime patrol aircraft since the early 1960s.
“After 60 years of maritime excellence, the watch has been relieved,” said Senior Chief Naval Aircrewman Armando Carrillo, assigned to VP-30, who organized the event. “This plane has united six decades of Naval aviators, aircrew, maintenance, and support personnel. She has united people from different cultures, backgrounds, and generations. She is one of few platforms in the Navy with this kind of history.”
While the ceremony was a celebration, those in attendance felt a certain duality as the last P-3C Orion left the hangar.
“This is all very bittersweet,” said Lt. Cmdr. (Ret.) Donald Cooper, a distinguished guest and a former Naval Aircrewman. “My dad and I both served aboard P-3 aircraft. It is the end of an era.”
“Bittersweet is absolutely how I would describe it,” said Naval Aircrewman 2nd Class (Ret.) Pat Augustine, a distinguished guest. “My entire Navy career happened in a P-3 and she always brought us home. I will be sad to never hear that 68 hertz tone from the engine again or see them fly over my house.”
Although her service to the Fleet is slated to come to an end, the impact this plane has had on the Navy will live on forever.
“We have a rich, glorious heritage to look back upon,” said Capt. Derrick Eastman, commanding officer, VP-30. “For 62 years, this plane and the aircrews that quicken her have stood the watch overseas and off our own coasts.”
The P-3 would not have had such an extended time of service without versatility.
“When you think of the different platforms used in the Navy, there aren’t too many that make it past the half-century barrier,” said Capt. Dennis Jensen, a Navy pilot and the prospective Commodore of Task Force 57 homeported in Manama, Bahrain. “The P-3 is one of five aircraft in the history of Naval aviation to break that barrier. As the mission changed and as the focus changed and the Nation called us to do something else, we did not stay stuck in the past, we adapted the aircraft. It is because of that adaptability and flexibility this platform has stood the test of time.”
The P-3 aircraft was first introduced to the Fleet on April 15, 1961 aboard VP-8 and VP-44.
VXS-1 and VQ-1 are the only commands that will continue to utilize a modified version of the P-3. VQ-1 is slated to sundown their EP-3E Aries in 2025.
The “Pro’s Nest” of VP-30 is the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Fleet Replacement Squadron. VP-30’s mission is to provide P-8A Poseidon and MQ-4C training to pilots, Naval Flight Officers, and enlisted aircrew prior to reporting to the Fleet.
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