L3Harris wins P-8A Poseidon support contract
The support contract for P-8As will run for the next five years. (Photo: L3Harris)
L3Harris has provided support for previous generation P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft (MPA). As many P-3 Orion users retire the aircraft, they have been picking up P-8A Poseidon MPAs, which L3Harris has now been contracted to support.
L3Harris will support Boeing P-8A MPAs for almost all of this decade under a contract agreed with the US Navy for that service’s aircraft but which will also include international users of the platform.
Announcing the contract award, L3Harris said it would “perform depot maintenance, repair and overhaul support of the 135 aircraft P-8A Poseidon fleet”.
It also announced that work would begin this year at L3Harris’ aircraft modification facility in Waco, Texas, and continue through to September 2029.
The aircraft specialises in maritime patrol and reconnaissance, long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
It is in use with or ordered by eight international customers, with Australia and India both operating 12, New Zealand four, Norway five and the UK nine. South Korea has ordered six with three delivered, Canada has ordered 14 and Germany has ordered eight with both countries yet to receive aircraft.
Saudi Arabia has planned to buy as many as eight aircraft, India has been in line to potentially purchase another six aircraft and the platform has also been in the running to meet a Turkish requirement.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Airbus awaits USMC decision on Logistics Connector programme]()
Airbus awaits USMC decision on Logistics Connector programme
Airbus has been advancing development of its uncrewed MQ-72C Logistics Connector for the US Marine Corps, with a decision on the programme expected in early 2026.
-
![Belgium considers additional F-35 order to boost fleet]()
Belgium considers additional F-35 order to boost fleet
The statement from Prime Minister Bart De Wever during a parliamentary session follows the country’s Easter Agreement which would see it increase defence spending to 2% of GDP by the end of 2025.
-
![Northrop Grumman notes $477 million loss as it manages higher B-21 programme costs]()
Northrop Grumman notes $477 million loss as it manages higher B-21 programme costs
In its Q1 earnings call, the company disclosed a US$477 million pretax loss related to the programme as it works to scale up.
-
![Lockheed Martin wants to “supercharge” F-35 after NGAD loss]()
Lockheed Martin wants to “supercharge” F-35 after NGAD loss
The investment in technologies developed for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) aircraft bid will now be applied to its F-35 and F-22 aircraft, according to Lockheed Martin CEO James Taiclet.
