Lockheed CP-140 Aurora
| CP-140 Aurora CP-140A Arcturus | |
|---|---|
| CP-140 Aurora 140107 flying at John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport near Mount Hope, Ontario | |
| General information | |
| Type | Maritime patrol aircraft (CP-140) MPA trainer aircraft (CP-140A) |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Corporation |
| Status | Active (CP-140M only) |
| Primary user | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Number built | 21 (18 CP-140M + 3 CP-140A) |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1980 |
| First flight | 22 March 1979 (CP-140) |
| Retired | 2011 (CP-140A only) |
| Developed from | Lockheed P-3 Orion |
The Lockheed CP-140 Aurora is a maritime patrol aircraft operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force. The aircraft is based on the Lockheed P-3 Orion airframe, but mounts the electronics suite of the Lockheed S-3 Viking. "Aurora" refers to the Roman goddess of dawn who flies across the sky each morning ahead of the sun. Aurora also refers to the Aurora Borealis, the "northern lights", that are prominent over northern Canada and the Arctic Ocean.
The CP-140A Arcturus was a related variant used primarily for pilot training and coastal surface patrol missions.