US Navy’s P-8A Poseidon fleet grows
The US Navy has taken delivery of its 15th Boeing-built P-8A Poseidon aircraft at Naval Air Station Jacksonville on schedule, the company reported on 6 August. The aircraft will join the other Poseidon aircraft being used to train navy crews in preparation of deployment.
The delivery follows Patrol Squadron (VP) 16’s recent return home from the P-8A’s first operational deployment. The ‘War Eagles’ of VP-16 were deployed for seven months, operating out of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. They were recently replaced by the ‘Mad Foxes’ of Patrol Squadron (VP) 5.
The navy will deploy the P-8A aircraft along with the rest of the fleet in support of long-range maritime patrol missions.
Boeing is under contract to build and support 53 P-8A aircraft for the US Navy. Current requirements could see the navy extend its fleet to a total of 117 P-8A aircraft as it replaces its existing P-3 fleet.
More from Naval Warfare
-
A closer look at the US Navy’s $268 billion investment in shipbuilding by 2031
The recently released USN 2026 Shipbuilding Plan anticipates the procurement of 185 crewed and uncrewed platforms in the next five years.
-
SAHA 2026: Turkey markets modular undersea systems to European buyers
Turkey’s defence industry is pushing a class of platform and building an entire philosophy of cost-imposition around it.
-
STM’s European wins strengthen Turkey’s naval credibility on the continent
Turkish defence and engineering company STM is attempting to challenge Europe’s established naval primes by winning contracts from Portugal to Pakistan – with a business model built on working in any shipyard in the world.
-
Australia’s Mogami-class frigates to feature RTX SeaRAM defence system
Under a contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Raytheon will provide SeaRAM launchers, blast test vehicles and technical services for the Royal Australian Navy’s Sea3000 General Purpose Frigate programme.