3D400158 ES-3 A SHADOW WINGS UNFOLDED (5 PLANES)

The Lockheed ES-3A Shadow was an American in-flight electronic reconnaissance aircraft built shortly after the Cold War. The machine was developed at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, and a short production batch was produced in 1991. The machine entered the line in 1993. The drive is provided by two General Electric TF34-GE-2 turbofan engines. The machine did not have a permanent on-board armament. The Lockheed ES-3A Shadow was based on the design of the S-3 Viking aircraft, de facto being its far-reaching modification. The main change was to change the purpose of the aircraft - while the S-3 was a ZOP (anti-submarine) aircraft, the ES-3A was an electronic reconnaissance aircraft. It required huge changes in electronics and avionics. However, the design of the aircraft itself has not changed significantly. Interestingly, the maximum speed of the machine decreased, but the current flight range was maintained. All ES-3As were produced by upgraded S-3 Viking aircraft. The ES-3A Shadow replaced the EA-3B Skywarrior aircraft, which were produced at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s.