Canada eyes up P-8A Poseidon to replace Aurora fleet
The Letter of Request does not equate to a commitment from Ottawa. (Photo: USN)
Canada has submitted a request to purchase P-8A Poseidon multi-mission aircraft to replace CP-140 Auroras but a final decision has not yet been made.
The Canadian government has submitted a LOR through the US government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme to purchase up to 16 P-8A Poseidon multi-mission aircraft.
The new aircraft would replace the ageing fleet of CP-140 Auroras that were procured from 1980 onwards and are set to require in 2030.
Following an RFI released in February 2022 and engagement with industry and allies, Canada found the P-8A to be the only available aircraft that meets all of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) operational requirements the RCAF needs to fulfil. These tasks include ASW and C4ISR.
In the RFI the government
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