31 March 2020: Boeing is awarded a huge USD 1.5 billion production contract by the US Navy. The contract is for the state-of-art 18 P-8A Poseidon aircraft, a proven long-range multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations.
As per the contract, Boeing will provide eight aircraft to the US Navy, six aircraft to the Republic of Korea Navy and four to the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Both, the Korea Navy and the Royal New Zealand Air Force have acquired the aircraft through the Foreign Military Sales process and will receive the same P-8A Poseidon variant that is designed and produced for the US Navy.
The 18 P-8A Poseidon aircraft
- It is a military derivative of the Boeing 737 Next-Generation airplane.
- It combines superior performance and reliability with an advanced mission system that ensures maximum interoperability in the battle space.
- It is militarized with maritime weapons, a modern open mission system architecture and commercial-like support for affordability.
- It is modified to include a bomb bay and pylons for weapons.
- It has two weapons stations on each wing and can carry 129 sonobuoys.
- It is also fitted with an in-flight refuelling system.
- It has over 254,000 flight hours to date
- The P-8A Poseidon and P-8I variants patrol the globe performing anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; humanitarian; and search and rescue missions.