Lockheed Martin has achieved an unprecedented milestone by delivering a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) P-3 Orion aircraft in 10 months—and 78 days early—on July 18.

This is the eighth of 14 aircraft in the programme to receive mid-life upgrade (MLU) modifications and phased depot maintenance. It will soon join the CBP P-3 MLU fleet conducting homeland security and drug interdiction missions.

“Our Greenville team continues to demonstrate a high level of excellence in the complex work associated with maintenance, repair and overhaul,” said Ray Burick, Lockheed Martin Vice President for Modification, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul, Greenville Site and Field Team Operations. “This is the seventh CBP P-3 the Lockheed Martin team has delivered ahead of or on schedule from its facility in Greenville, South Carolina, since July 2010, a truly remarkable accomplishment for this team and our CBP customer.”

During fiscal year 2012, the CBP P-3 fleet continued its anti-smuggling success by seizing or disrupting more than 1,17,765 pounds of cocaine valued at more than $8.8 billion, totalling 21.1 pounds seized for every flight hour, valued at $1.5 million for every hour flown.

The MLU replaces all fatigue life-limiting structures with enhanced-design components; and incorporates a new metal alloy that is five times more corrosion resistant than the original material, greatly reducing the cost of ownership for P-3 operators. The MLU solution removes current aircraft flight restrictions and extends the structural service life of the P-3 up to 15,000 hours, adding more than 20 years of operational use.