Boeing Delivers First P-8A Poseidon to US Navy »

By Jean-Michel Guhl
09 March 2012

The first series production Boeing P-8A Poseidon for the U.S. Navy is seen lifting off from Seattle's Everett Field. The aircraft is earmarked for VP-30 in NAS Jacksonville, Florida, where it will gradually replace the Lockheed P-3 Orions over the years © Boeing

Seatle, Washington, 6 March 2012 — Boeing on 4 March last officially delivered the first production P-8A Poseidon aircraft to the U.S. Navy in Seattle. The P-8A is the first of thirteen new generation 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. Just as the legacy Lockheed P-3 Orion was -- and unlike its predecessor in US naval service the Lockheed P-2 Neptune -- the P-8 Poseidon is a derivative of a commercial airliner. VP-30 will also be the first squadron to operate the U.S. Navy's new P-8 Poseidon aircraft, training flight crews and maintainers as all U.S. Navy patrol squadrons eventually transition to this new platform.

"Delivering this capability to the warfighter is the ultimate goal and we're proud to be able to meet our commitment and hand over the P-8A 'keys' to the Navy fleet," said Chuck Dabundo, Boeing vice president and P-8 program manager. "This is a great day for Boeing, our supplier teammates and our Navy customer." "The Navy fleet is more than ready to receive the P-8A, which will provide the users and operators a step increase in mission capabilities," said Rear Admiral Paul Grosklags, U.S. Navy Program Executive Officer for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault & Special Mission Programs. "Thanks to Boeing and the entire team for its efforts and great partnership to date."

Following delivery in Seattle, US Navy pilots flew the first production P-8A, LRIP1-1, to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, where it will be used for aircrew training by the East Coast naval Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11 which currently musters eight squadrons of Lockheed P-3C Orions. In addition to the many operational active and reserve squadrons aboard, NAS Jacksonville is also home to Patrol Squadron 30 (VP-30), the Navy's largest aviation squadron and the only P-3 Orion Fleet Replacement Squadron that prepares and trains U.S. and NATO/Allied pilots, air crew and maintenance personnel for further operational assignments in the P-3C Orion and EP-3E Aries in the U.S. Navy, and P-3B, P-3C and similar variants in various NATO and Allied navies and air forces.

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, Maryland, and have completed more than 1,500 flight hours yet. 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.

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.

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. Besides India which ordered twelve P-8As to replace its ageing Soviet-era Tu-142Ms, potential other foreign customers are Australia, Italy and Japan.

Source: Boeing

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