Boeing Delivers 100th P8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft To US Navy

Defence News India: In a major milestone for Boeing P-8A Poseidon long range maritime patrol aircraft, US defence and aerospace giant Boeing delivered its 100th P-8A to the US Navy, its biggest customer, on Saturday (May 14, 2020).

“We are honored by the Navy’s faith and confidence in our employees and the P-8 system,” said Stu Voboril, vice president and program manager.

“Our focus has been, and will be, on delivering the world’s best maritime patrol aircraft, bar none,” Stu Voboril said.

The P-8 is a proven long-range multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and coastal operations.

A military derivative of the Boeing 737 Next-Generation airplane, the P-8 combines superior performance and reliability with an advanced mission system that ensures maximum interoperability in the battle space.

This is the 94th mission-capable aircraft to enter the US Navy fleet, with six additional jets used as Engineering Manufacturing Development test aircraft. The 100th fully-operational delivery is scheduled for later this year.

P8A Poseidon.

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Boeing P8A Poseidon in service of Indian Navy

Boeing’s P8A Poseidon is also in service of Indian Navy and the Australian and UK air forces. The long range surveillance aircraft approaches 300,000 flight hours service, basically in tracking enemy submarines and providing aerial reconnaissance capabilities to its users.

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Boeing has also delivered 12 jets to the Royal Australian Air Force, two to the UK’s Royal Air Force and eight P-8Is to the Indian Navy.

Multiple US Navy squadrons have deployed with the P-8A Poseidon, and the Indian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force are conducting missions with the P-8 as well.

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