Fourth of the pre-production flight test aircraft used to conduct carrier suitability tests. This aircraft was accepted by the Navy July 21st, 1972 and was maintained by NAVPRO.

Aircraft History for BuNo 157995

• October 16, 1972 until May 1973 Attached to Naval Air Test Center (NATC), conducted Carrier Suitability Flight Tests at NATC Patuxent River, MD (Pax River).
• Later was transferred to NARF Alameda and modified as a US-3A which served with VRC-50 as RG-716 and RG-715.
• July 1994 Transferred to VS-41 as NJ-715 before being retired to AMARC in January 1996 and SOC January 2003.

Fifth pre-production flight test aircraft used for hydraulic, fuel, air-conditioning, and avionics evaluations. This aircraft was accepted by the Navy August 24th, 1972 where it was maintained by NAVPRO Burbank.

Aircraft History for BuNo 157996

• August 26th, 1976 Transferred to NATC Patuxent River, Maryland (Pax River) for RDT&E where it was redesignated as a KS-3A tanker flight test demonstrator aircraft. The one and only KS-3A centerline drogue 'Tanker' Lockheed made as a demo for the Navy.
• October 4, 1976 Transferred to VS-41 as RA-51 for evaluation and support.
• July 14, 1977 Successfully completed inflight refueling with all aircraft in Navy inventory.
• October 10, 1978 Began providing inflight refueling services for COMNAVAIRLANT units. Flight operations were staged at NAS Cecil Field, Florida and NAS Oceana, Virginia, providing services for A-7 Corsair, A-6 Intruder, F-4 Phantom and F-14 Tomcat aircraft.
• October 21, 1978 Completed inflight refueling services for COMNAVAIRLANT units.
• Transferred to NARF Alameda for modifications as a US-3A which served with VRC-50 as RG-716.
• January 20th, 1989 Mishap

Sixth pre-production flight test aircraft used for armament, weapons, and avionics integration. This aircraft was accepted by the Navy October 17th, 1972 and was maintained by NAVPRO.

Aircraft History for BuNo 157997

• 1974 to 1976 Attached to VS-41.
• 1981 Transferred to NARF Alameda for modifications as a US-3A which served with VRC-50 as RG-714 and RG-717.
• July 1994 Transferred to VS-41 as NJ-717 until retired to AMARC in December 1995 and was
• Jan 2004 SOC

Seventh pre-production flight test aircraft used for evaluating weapon systems, bombs, rockets, mines, and missiles. This aircraft was accepted by the Navy December 11th, 1972 and was maintained by NAVPRO. This aircraft was modified as a US-3A prototype and performed its first flight on July 2nd, 1976. It was also used by various S-3 squadrons as 'The COD' and later as 'Miss Piggy'.

It one time was going to be restored on the USS Midway but was never carried out.

The National Museum of Naval Aviation still has ownership of this aircraft. Possibly SARDIP March 2007. (More than likely if it was SARDIP, would have been scrapped by now.)

Aircraft History for BuNo 157998

• 1979 With VS-21 aboard USS Kitty Hawk
• 1980 With VS-31 aboard USS Eisenhower
• 1980 With VS-38 aboard USS Constellation
• 1980 With VS-37 aboard USS Ranger
• 1981 With VS-28 aboard USS Independence
• 1981 With VS-33 aboard USS America
• 1981 to 1982 With VS-38 aboard USS Constellation
• Shortly after 1982 Transferred to VRC-50 as RG-712.
• April 1994 Transferred to VS-41 as NJ-712 before being SOC June 1995.
• 1998 Retired

Eighth pre-production flight test aircraft.

Aircraft History for BuNo 157999

• 06-Aug-1973 Mishap