Harris Corporation has secured new contracts to deliver sonobuoy launching technology for the US Navy’s P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
The Boeing-built P-8A has been designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
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Harris will supply single-shot and rotary launchers capable of rapidly deploying up to ten sonobuoys under the new agreement.
The lightweight, pneumatic launchers will allow 49 P-8A aircraft for the US, UK and Australian navies to safely and effectively deploy sonobuoys in order to carry out underwater acoustic surveillance activities.
Harris Electronic Systems president Ed Zoiss said: “The P-8A will be at the centre of the US and its allies’ anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare missions for the foreseeable future.
“Harris technology dramatically improves on existing sonobuoy launching capabilities, helping to enable this important mission.”
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By GlobalDataThe P-8A multi-mission aircraft is a derivative of Boeing 737-800 Next-Generation airliner, and has the capability to carry out several broad-area maritime and littoral operations.
The aircraft, along with its Indian varant the P-8I, integrates superior performance and reliability with an advanced and upgraded mission system that ensures maximum interoperability in the future battle space.
Exelis originally completed negotiations with Boeing for two production contracts in 2013 for the delivery of sonobuoy launchers for the P-8A aircraft, as well as carriage and release systems.
The company was subsequently acquired by Harris in 2015.
Image: P-8A Poseidon aircraft. Photo: courtesy of Boeing.
