General Characteristics Value

Wing span - 68.7 ft / 20.9 m
Length overall - 53.3 ft / 16.3 m
Max. cruising speed - 370 kts / 681 kph Top Speed - 450 kts / 828 kph
Normal takeoff weight with full mission stores - 45,500 pounds / 19,278 kg
Service ceiling - 40,000 ft / 121.92 km
The S-3  Viking a Swiss army knife of Naval Aviation
Date  Event
1964 U.S. Navy announces requirement for announces carrier-based ASW aircraft.
04/68 Lockheed submits its proposal for the Navy's VSX experimental carrier-based ASW aircraft program. Lockheed teams with LTV Aerospace Corporation and Univac Federal Systems Division of Sperry Rand.
08/04/69 Lockheed team wins VSX competition and awarded contract for eight test aircraft.
11/08/71 First YS-3A rolls out in Burbank, Calif., then trucked to Palmdale, California.
01/21/72 John Christiansen and Lyle Schaefer in the cockpit for Viking's 90-minute first flight.
04/28/72 Lockheed awarded production contract from the U.S. Navy.
10/73 Navy certifies S-3A to begin Board of Inspection and Survey trials at NAS Patuxent River.
02/20/74 S-3 Viking enters service with VS-41 training unit at NAS North Island, San Diego.
07/74 VS-21 of NAS North Island becomes the first operational unit to fly the S-3.
07/75 Modification to seventh YS-3A begun to convert ASW platform to carrier on-board delivery (COD) platform (designated US-3A).
07/07/75 First aircraft carrier deployment aboard USS John F. Kennedy.
07/02/76 US-3A makes its first flight.
07/08/78 187th S-3A delivered to U.S. Navy.
1981 Lockheed receives $14.5 million contract for Weapon System Improvement Program (WSIP) to upgrade two S-3A Viking aircraft to S-3B configuration. Upgrade to include improved acoustic processor, expanded electronic support measure coverage, increased radar processing, sonobouy receiver system and provision for carrying Harpoon air-to-surface missile.
09/13/84 S-3B prototype first flight from Palmdale. 
1979-80 S-3 provides logistic support for USS Nimitz during record 260-day cruise.
1990 1st S-3B squadron deploys (VS-31 aboard USS Eisenhower).
02/19/91 1st kill by S-3 aircraft (Iraqi patrol boat by VS-32).
05/15/91 ES-3A prototype first flight at Palmdale.
07/17/91 S-3 sets record for longest flight (distance/duration) originating from an aircraft carrier - 5,100 NM/15.5 hours.
1991 S-3B modification program at NAS Cecil Field completed.
01/21/92 ES-3A first flight from NAS Cecil Field.
02/11/92 First ES-3A delivered to the U.S. Navy. 
03/92 S-3B modification program at NAS North Island begins.
04/93 First ES-3A deploys aboard USS Independence with VQ-5.
08/31/94 121st S-3B delivered to VS-41.
1995 U.S. Navy nominates S-3B Viking/ES-3A Shadow team for Collier Award.
one of the most successful designs in carrier aircraft history. First built in the '70s, most of the 187 original Viking airframes are not only still flying, their strategic role is expanding and projected well into the 21st century.
Conceived primarily for ASW, the Viking has proven itself so versatile that its current mission is called simply "Sea Control." It does so many things so well. Surface and undersea warfare, mine warfare, electronics recon and analysis, over-the-horizon targeting, missile attack, even aerial tanking. Airwing commanders (notoriously stingy about deck space) insist upon it, in fact, make extra room for it. Carrier captains like it, too, because it can launch and recover downwind and can stay up for hours. Pampering is not required.
It should also be a hit with taxpayers. The current S-3B and ES-3A (for electronic surveillance) were built as upgrades of the original S-3A. An essentially new airplane was created for next-generation missions, without high development costs or lengthy timetables. So if "V" is for Viking and versatile, maybe the "S" is for sensible and smart.
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