Fifth P-8A Poseidon delivered to Navy
NewsNovember 06, 2012
SEATTLE. Boeing officials delivered the fifth P-8A Poseidon production aircraft to the U.S. Navy. It is one of 24 low-rate initial production (LRIP) maritime patrol aircraft being built by Boeing for the Navy as part of 2011 and 2012 contracts.
"This is our final P-8A delivery of the year; we’ll ramp up to 12 deliveries, including P-8I aircraft for India, in 2013," says Chuck Dabundo, vice president and P-8 program manager at Boeing.
The Navy is “flying the first production planes at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla.," says Capt. Aaron Rondeau, U.S. Navy P-8A Integrated Product Team lead.
The next three Poseidon aircraft to be delivered are undergoing mission systems installation and checkout in Seattle. Another two are in final assembly in Renton, Wash. Boeing will deliver its sixth production P-8A to the Navy early next year.
The Navy plans to acquire 117 of the Boeing 737-based P-8A anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft to replace its P-3 fleet. Boeing is also providing maintenance and aircrew training for the Navy as part of the LRIP contracts.
