Insight: How the P-8 Poseidon has conquered the maritime patrol aircraft market

Snapshot

The P-8 Poseidon multi-mission MPA, based on the Boeing 737-800 airliner, entered service as a replacement for the USN's fleet of P-3 Orions and is targeted at other users of ageing P-3 aircraft. 

The first flight for the P-8 was in April 2009, and in August the following year, LRIP was approved. Since full-rate production started in January 2014, more than 100 aircraft have been ordered by eight different militaries.

Additional information

What different variants of the P-8 Poseidon are there?

Development of the P-8 began in 2004, with its maiden flight in April 2009. As of July 2022, there were 150 P-8s delivered to military customers. In February 2012, the P-8 made its mission debut during 'Bold Alligator' 2012, an annual warfare exercise in the US. According to Boeing, since 2009, the P-8 has amassed '450,000 mishap-free flight hours'.

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The aircraft has two main variants: the P-8A, the standard production variant for the USN, and the P-8I Neptune, an export variant for the Indian Navy, with a CAE Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) and APS-143C(V)3 multi-mode aft radar added.

Which countries operate the P-8 Poseidon?

US

The USN was the launch customer of the Boeing P-8. The navy announced the selection of the Boeing 737 Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) and awarded a contract to Boeing for system development.

On 24 September 2012, Boeing announced a $1.9 billion order for 11 aircraft. However, in 2013, full-rate production was delayed until the P-8 could demonstrate it could survive its 25-year lifespan without structural fatigue, overcome deficiencies, track surface ships and perform primary missions.

Following a report stating operational fitness, in July 2013 Boeing received a $2.04 billion contract to build 13 P-8As, for a fleet of 37 aircraft by the end of 2016, and long-lead parts for 16 P-8As of the first full-rate production lot. In 2019, the USN placed a new order for 18 P-8As, set to replace the P-3C Orion, which is slowly being phased out of service.

In October 2020, Naval Air Systems Command issued contract modifications to Boeing and StandardAero, worth $61.55 million and $46 million respectively, to conduct depot-level maintenance and repair of CFM56-family engines that power the P-8A.

Boeing is providing engineering services and supplies for the Acoustic Operational Flight Program (AOFP) for the P-8A under a $94.9 million contract from Naval Air System Command, the US DoD announced on 8 February 2022. Work will include ‘capability defect package fixes and acoustic software improvement efforts in support of the continued development and sustainment’ of the AOFP, the DoD added. Boeing will execute the contract at four US locations, with completion expected by January 2027.

India

India flies its own variant of the P-8, the P-8I, featuring two major components not fitted on the P-8A, a Telephonics APS-143 OceanEye aft radar and a magnetic anomaly detector. The Indian government and Boeing concluded a $2.1 billion contract for the purchase of eight P-8I aircraft in 2009 making India the first international customer of the maritime patrol aircraft.

The Indian MoD placed a $1.1. billion follow-on order for four additional P-8Is in 2016. Delivery of these aircraft was completed in February, 2022 bringing India's total fleet of P-8Is to 12.

The Indian MoD approved the procurement of ten more P-8Is in June 2019 worth $3 billion, expected to be made official with delivery timelines in 2022.

Australia

In February 2014, the Australian government committed to the purchase of eight aircraft for the RAAF with an option for four more. On 25 May 2016, the Australian DoD announced that its first P-8 had successfully completed its maiden flight. The aircraft arrived in Canberra on 16 November 2016, with the remaining 11 delivered by March 2020.

In March 2018, Australia announced that the P-8A Poseidon had achieved IOC. At that stage, six of Australia’s 12 P-8As had arrived in Australia, operated by No 11 Squadron from RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia.

South Korea

In June 2018, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced that it would purchase the P-8 Poseidon under FMS to replace the country's existing inventory of P-3 Orion aircraft in a $1.7 billion project.

The US State Department approved an FMS of six P-8A aircraft to South Korea in September 2018. The contract includes: nine Multi-Functional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems 5; 14 LN-251 systems; 42 AN/AAR-54 missile warning sensors; MX-20HD EO/IR sensors; AN/AAQ-2(V)1 acoustic systems; AN/APY-10 radars; ALQ-240 ESM systems; AN/ALE-47 countermeasures dispensing systems; and various logistical, training, maintenance and transport services.

The current order is for six of the aircraft to replace the ageing fleet of P-3s by 2030 - first delivery is expected in 2023. South Korea stated that the stronger anti-submarine capabilities provided by the P-8 would help its military respond to the threat of North Korea’s submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

United Kingdom

In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF.

In 2016 the UK received approval from the US for the purchase of nine P-8 aircraft to fill the gap in UK capabilities left by the retirement of the Nimrod MR2 and the cancellation of the follow-on Nimrod MRA4 in 2010.

In August 2018, the RAF announced that the UK’s new P-8A MPAs will be formally known in RAF service as the Poseidon MRA Mk.1.

Boeing announced the signing of a $3.87 billion (£3 billion) contract for nine P-8s, with deliveries commencing in 2019. The deal included a $100 million package for Boeing maintenance, training and logistics. The first delivery of the P-8 was November 2019, with the ninth and final aircraft being delivered in January 2022.

Norway

In March 2017, Norway signed a $1.29 billion contract for five aircraft with delivery planned for 2021-22. Boeing delivered the first P-8A to the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) on 18 November 2021.

The last P-8A was delivered on 27 May 2022.

New Zealand

New Zealand ordered four P-8As in July 2018 after the government approved a US FMS worth $1.6 billion to replace the country's P-3 Orion fleet. P-8A training systems and associated infrastructure are also included in this contract.

The first P-8A was delivered to New Zealand on 7 December 2022, and Boeing confirmed the second P-8A to have been delivered on 16 March 2023. The final P-8A was delivered in July 2023.

Germany

In March 2021, the US State Department announced that it had approved a possible FMS of five P-8As to Germany for $1.77 billion. This was followed by a contract award in September 2021 for purchasing five units.

In July 2021, the German MoD announced it would purchase five of the P-8 aircraft. The deal, worth $1.3 billion, has been reported as providing an interim replacement for the navy’s ageing fleet of P-3C Orions aircraft. The five P-8As are expected to have completed delivery in 2025 and be operational until 2035, when Germany intends to retire its P-3C.

In July 2022, Germany announced the approval of an additional military equipment budget, including purchasing additional P-8A aircraft.

What is the unit cost of a P-8 Poseidon?

USN FY2021 budget documents put the P-8A Poseidon flyaway unit cost at $179.7 million.

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