The US Defense Department has awarded a modification to an existing contract with Lockheed to support upgrades to the P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft operated by the Pakistani Navy.

Under the $7.3m contract, Lockheed will provide support services that include labour, aircraft hangar costs, and acoustic receiver technical refresh programme report resolution to upgrade seven P-3C aircraft.

Work will be carried out at the company’s facility in Greenville, South Carolina, US, and is expected to be completed by November 2011.

The US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division is the contracting activity.