India belatedly receives ninth Neptune
The Indian Navy on 17 November received its ninth P-8I Neptune long-range maritime reconnaissance and ASW aircraft.
This aircraft was scheduled to be handed over to the Indian Navy in July, but delivery was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
India has three other P-8Is on order from manufacturer Boeing. These aircraft will be handed over in 2021. In June 2019, according to Shephard Defence Insight, the US cleared the potential sale of ten more P-8Is for INR22,500 crore ($3.2 billion).
Since the first aircraft entered service with the Indian Navy in 2013, the P-8I fleet has clocked up more than 25,000 flight hours, according to Boeing. The aircraft are currently employed on surveillance missions over the Ladakh region, which is the scene of continuing military tension between China and India.
Support from Boeing for the P-8I fleet, as part of a deal signed in 2019, includes construction of a Training Support and Data Handling Centre at INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu, plus a secondary centre at the Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology in Kochi.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
DSEI 2025: New AR3 EVO puts Tekever’s modularity ambitions under the spotlight
An evolution of the Tekever AR3, the AR3 EVO that broke cover at DSEI incorporates the thousands of incremental evolutions the company has implemented through its spiral development, geared towards delivering a constant stream of improved aircraft to Ukraine.
-
DSEI 2025: Schiebel reveals two weaponised Camcopter UAVs
The new capabilities are based on platforms already in use or in development, and are designed to perform in demanding defence missions.
-
DSEI 2025: GCAP Electronics Evolution emerges as new consortium for 6th-gen programme
The consortium, known as G2E, is formed of four leading national defence electronics companies: Mitsubishi for Japan, Leonardo UK for the UK and both Leonardo and ELT Group for Italy.
-
DSEI 2025: BAE Systems FalconWorks and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works to collaborate on new UAV range
The uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) will start off in the electronic warfare space, according to the companies, to support existing crewed frontline platforms, with many major details still to be disclosed.
-
DSEI 2025: MGI Engineering launches new deep strike OWE TigerShark
The British-built long-range strike one-way effector (OWE) is the latest offering from the company, which demonstrated its smaller OWE SkyShark in July.