The Aircraft that does not exist.

Non-existant aircraft

Love Field's mystery aircraft...no reg number or decals...rumored mission is drug interdiction along the Texas/Mexico border, but who knows? I've been able to ask numerous officials at DAL about this aircraft and I get the same answer every time, "That aircraft doesn't exist". This photo says otherwise, but the government is doing a great job in suppressing info about its mission. Note the SLAR under the fuselage.

Well yessiree bob that thar is a plane alright. It does have an American Air Force logo on it. I suppose that the government has the right to not paint numbers on each and every plane that it uses.

Some things guess what? Get to be classified. I don't know what a SLAR is but I know that sometimes our Government does things on the hush hush so that the people that are doing them don't get hurt. You got to remember sometimes the classified stuff is to keep innocent servicemen doing their jobs from being attacked by people that wish to do harm to our government. If they were doing a boarder patrol flyover and some illegal alien figured out where the aircraft came from and where it headed. It is conceivable that, that illegal alien or a bunch of them might (this is a gigantic, huge, massive, MIGHT) cause harm to the aircraft or the personnel flying it.

Some things that our government does secretly however is contrary to protecting our nations civilians and that kind of thing should be investigated. Perhaps this is what you are referring to. So satcom, what is the dealy-o?

I just thought it was cool and of some interest. I have no agenda.

[edit on 22-1-2008 by satcom]

SLAR refers to a side looking airborn radar.

Its probably doing drug interdiction along the gulf coast.

Not sure what the big deal is other than the lack of tail numbers.

Also the field may be having fun with the curious as well.


After doing some digging, this may be the notaional NP-3B

Nothing much is known about this variant. Just one Orion (#152739) has been operated under this designation. It belonged to a “secret” unit called NAWC-23. It is thought that the aircraft was utilized for special projects in which NASA and Texas Instruments have been involved. NAWC-23’s home base is Dallas Love Field. The NP-3B was fitted with a large “banana-shaped” container below its fuselage, most likely containing a Side Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) system. NAWC-23 later received a new aircraft (P-3C-III #161410) that was modified with the equipment container from the original NP-3B.home.wxs.nl...

Originally posted by satcom
I just thought it was cool and of some interest. I have no agenda.

Ok I just wanted to know. I thought you might have some good dish for us about this plane transporting something really odd or flying odd circles in remote areas for no apparent reason. It is pretty cool and interesting

Thanks FredT for clearing up what a SLAR is. I didn't have a clue!

In 1989 and one of the VP-65 P-3B Orion wore no distinguishing markings at all apart from the 'Star & Bar'. (same as this aircraft). At one point it was only possible to read an Orion's serial by looking inside the nosewheel doors!

Another possible answer is depending on how often the aircraft is moved fro sqn to sqn.

A little more info below.
Google results for NAWC-23