Boeing delivers 100th P-8A Poseidon to US Navy

Boeing has delivered its 100th P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, which was built for the US Navy.

The global fleet includes the Indian Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and the British Royal Air Force (RAF).

It has achieved a milestone of 300,000 flight hours of hunting submarines and providing aerial reconnaissance capabilities globally.

P-8A is the 94^th mission-capable airplane to enter the US Navy fleet. Six additional jets were used as Engineering Manufacturing Development test aircraft.

Delivery of the 100th fully-operational aircraft is scheduled for later this year.

Boeing has also delivered 12 jets to the RAAF, two aircraft to the RAF, and eight P-8Is to the Indian Navy.

Boeing vice-president and programme manager Stu Voboril said: “We’re honoured by the navy’s faith and confidence in our employees and the P-8 system. Our focus has been, and will be, on delivering the world’s best maritime patrol aircraft, bar none.”

The long-range multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft P-8 has the ability to conduct broad-area, maritime and coastal operations.

It is a military derivative of the Boeing 737 Next-Generation airplane and includes an advanced mission system, ensuring maximum interoperability in the battle space.

Several US Navy squadrons have deployed with the P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The Indian Navy and RAAF are also conducting missions with the P-8.

In October last year, a RAAF-funded project tested an extended search and rescue (SAR) capability for the P-8A Poseidon. Conducted off the coast of the Naval Air Station Patuxent River (PAX) in Maryland, the test evaluated the UNIPAC III SAR kit on the P-8A maritime patrol aircraft.