Loiter Time is a term used to describe the ability of a combat aircraft to remain in the vicinity of its target, in terms of endurance. If the aircraft is based an hour's flight from its assigned station or target and has an endurance of four hours, then it has a two hour loiter time (one hour out, one hour back, two hours on station). Typically used to describe ground attack/close air support aircraft, battle management aircraft such as the AWACS, or maritime search aircraft such as the P-3C Orion.