P-8A Poseidon deliveries continue on schedule

The US Navy has taken delivery of the 12th production P-8A Poseidon aircraft from Boeing on schedule on 25 October. The aircraft will join other Poseidon aircraft at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, where it will be used to train navy crews.

This is the sixth P-8A from the second low-rate initial production contract lot awarded in November 2011. Boeing is delivering 37 P-8A aircraft as part of four LRIP contracts awarded in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The US Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8A aircraft in total.

Rick Heerdt, vice president and P-8 program manager, Boeing, said: ‘This is our second-to-last P-8A delivery of 2013 and the programme is meeting all cost and schedule milestones. As we’ve focused on ramping up production and delivering planes, the navy is preparing for the first P-8A fleet deployment in the coming months.’ 

The P-8A is based on the next-generation Boeing 737-800 platform. The multi-mission aircraft is designed to provide anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities; and will replace the US Navy P-3 fleet.