Boeing contracted to add sixth workstation to USN, RAAF Poseidons
Boeing has received awards worth $34.5 million to deliver a sixth mission crew workstation retrofit to previously delivered US Navy and Royal Australian Air Force P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
A total of 60 aircraft will be modified under the contracted work, expanding the crew size from five active operators to six, which will increase the mission capability.
More operators will result in more functions being able to be performed, and more functions means more data collected and therefore increased mission effectiveness, Fred Bruner, P-8 programme manager at Boeing, said.
‘Our ability to continue to enhance the P-8’s capabilities is really a reflection of our commitment to give our customers the product they need, when they need it,’ Bruner added.
‘By using this kind of evolutionary approach, we’ve been able to get the aircraft out there, performing at an incredibly high level, and now will add even more capability to support missions around the world.’
The retrofit will additionally bring existing operational aircraft up to the same crew configuration as recent production aircraft, including the four aircraft due to be delivered to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, which already include a sixth workstation.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement]()
What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement
Major naval initiatives including the European Patrol Corvette programmes and Norway’s UK partnership-focused purchase of Type 26 frigates point to the growing interest in the advantages of commonality across allied navies.
-
![Kraken’s Royal Navy USV contract signals next step in crewed-uncrewed integration]()
Kraken’s Royal Navy USV contract signals next step in crewed-uncrewed integration
The UK Royal Navy’s rapid procurement of uncrewed platforms aligns with the force’s strategic shift towards a fleet better equipped to handle modern threats.
-
![HMS Anson’s milestone stay in Australia cut short during AUKUS deployment]()
HMS Anson’s milestone stay in Australia cut short during AUKUS deployment
The Astute-class submarine’s visit to Australia was the first time maintenance activity on a UK Royal Navy nuclear submarine had been carried out in the country.
-
![How Operation Epic Fury could reduce US readiness to face China]()
How Operation Epic Fury could reduce US readiness to face China
The offensive against Iran could impact training and maintenance cycles and accelerate the degradation of the US arsenal on top of depleting Washington’s stockpiles.
-
![UK Royal Navy explores modular counter-drone capabilities for future hybrid fleet]()
UK Royal Navy explores modular counter-drone capabilities for future hybrid fleet
The UK MoD is scoping out systems to counter the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems, with a focus on low-cost modularity and speed to field.
