First USN P-8A Poseidon delivered
Boeing has announced that the first production P-8A Poseidon aircraft has been delivered to the US Navy in Seattle. The P-8A is the first of 13 anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft Boeing will deliver as part of a low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract awarded in 2011. The delivery took place on 4 March 2012.
According to Boeing, following delivery in Seattle, Navy pilots flew the first production P-8A, LRIP1-1, to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., where it will be used for aircrew training.
The Poseidon team is using a first-in-industry in-line production process that draws on Boeing’s Next-Generation 737 production system. All P-8A-unique aircraft modifications are made in sequence during fabrication and assembly.
Along with production aircraft, the P-8A team also has built and is testing six flight-test and two ground-test aircraft. The flight-test aircraft are based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., and have completed more than 1,500 flight hours. A derivative of the Next-Generation 737-800, the Poseidon is built by a Boeing-led industry team that includes CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems and GE Aviation.
The Navy plans to purchase 117 Boeing 737-based P-8A aircraft to replace its P-3 fleet. Initial operational capability is planned for 2013.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![SAHA 2026: Turkey markets modular undersea systems to European buyers]()
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]()
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.
-
![First Canadian River-class destroyer to have its keel laid in June]()
First Canadian River-class destroyer to have its keel laid in June
Currently at the block fabrication and construction stage, the HMCS Fraser’s keel-laying ceremony is scheduled to take place next month as a step towards increasing the Royal Canadian Navy's anti-submarine and air defence capabilities.
-
![Australia’s Mogami-class frigates to feature RTX SeaRAM defence system]()
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.
