P3 Maintenance
Petty Officer 2nd Class Kevin Leonard, aviation structural mechanic, checks the T56A-14 turboprop engine on a P-3C Orion aircraft to ensure that it is clear of debris Sept. 9, 2008, at an undisclosed air base in Southwest Asia. The P-3 aircraft provides surveillance of the battlespace, either at sea or over land. Its long range and long loiter time have proved invaluable assets during Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom as it can view the battlespace and instantaneously provide that information to ground troops, especially U.S. Marines. Petty Officer Leonard, a native of Polk City, Iowa, is deployed from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady/Released)