By
Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A 2003 Perryville
High School graduate and Perryville, Maryland native is serving in the U.S.
Navy aboard Naval Air Station Jacksonville, the largest base in the Southeast
Region and third largest in the nation.
Lt. j. g. Keith Estes is a pilot serving with
Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11.
A Navy pilot is responsible for
tactically employing the P-8A Poseidon aircraft within the guidelines of the
U.S. Navy.
“My job is challenging but very
rewarding,” said Estes. “Flying and traveling around the world is great and an
experience that most people don’t get.”
According to Navy officials, Wing 11’s history and
reputation remain unparalleled since being commissioned on August 15, 1942.
Throughout the decades, Wing 11 has continued to fly combat missions in direct support of
the troops on the ground and delivered
traditional maritime capabilities, real-time intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance.
Beginning in the
1960s, the P-3C Orion, a land-based, long-range anti-submarine warfare patrol
aircraft, replaced the P-2V Neptune fleet. After 50 years of faithful
service and the 50th anniversary of Maritime Patrol and
Reconnaissance Force, the P-3C Orion is being phased out of the fleet,
according to Navy officials.
The P-8A is a modified Boeing airframe
featuring a fully connected, state-of-the-art, open architecture mission system
designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; and
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, Navy officials
explained.
"The U.S. Navy sometimes asks the
impossible of our people. It is sailors that make the impossible possible,”
said Capt. Anthony Corapi, Commodore, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11. “Lt. j. g. Estes is one example of a selfless
servant of our nation. These heroes ask
for very little recognition and perform their daily job with pride and
professionalism defending freedom and our way of life around the world. Each member of the Navy's combat team is
crucial to our success. I am very proud to have Lt. j. g. Estes on our
team!"
Estes is part of a crew that began a
transition to the P-8A Poseidon in 2014. Earlier this year, squadron VP-45 entered the Inter-Deployment Readiness Cycle in preparation for their first
deployment as a P-8A squadron.
“The camaraderie and reliability of
this command is great,” said Estes. “This command has a great reputation, we
are a tight knit group and you can count on everyone to do their job
efficiently.”
According to Navy officials, the Navy
continues to meet milestone after milestone on this world-class mission and is
providing an aircraft with superior capabilities to the men and women in
uniform that will have a lasting legacy promoting a global maritime strategy.
“My time in the service has shown me
that no matter what challenges that may come along, if you just put your head
down and work toward your goals you can accomplish them,” said Estes.