The Boeing P-8 Poseidon is an American maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft developed and produced by

Boeing Defense, Space & Security Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) is a division (business unit) of The Boeing Company based in Arlington, Virginia. It is responsible for defense and aerospace products and services. It was formerly known as Boeing Integrated Defense System ...

, and derived from the civilian

Boeing 737-800 The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as 737NG, or 737 Next Gen, is a narrow-body aircraft powered by two jet engines and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Launched in 1993 as the third generation derivative of the Boein ...

. It was developed for the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

(USN). The P-8 operates in the

anti-submarine warfare Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are t ...

(ASW),

anti-surface warfare Anti-surface warfare (ASuW or ASUW) is the branch of naval warfare concerned with the suppression of surface combatants. More generally, it is any weapons, sensors, or operations intended to attack or limit the effectiveness of an adversary's s ...

(ASUW), and

intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance ISTAR stands for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. In its macroscopic sense, ISTAR is a practice that links several battlefield functions together to assist a combat force in employing its sensors and managing t ...

(ISR) roles. It is armed with

torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, s ...

es, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and other weapons, can drop and monitor

sonobuoy A sonobuoy (a portmanteau of sonar and buoy) is a relatively small buoy – typically diameter and long – expendable sonar system that is dropped/ejected from aircraft or ships conducting anti-submarine warfare or underwater acoustic rese ...

s, and can operate in conjunction with other assets, including the

Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton is an American high-altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) under development for the United States Navy as a surveillance aircraft. Together with its associated ground control station, it is an ...

maritime surveillance

unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controll ...

(UAV). The P-8 is operated by the United States Navy, the

Indian Navy The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates si ...

, the

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

, and the United Kingdom's

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

. It has also been ordered by the

Royal Norwegian Air Force The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) ( no, Luftforsvaret, , The Air Defence) is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian Armed Forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peacetime establishment is approximatel ...

, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the

Republic of Korea Navy The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN; ko, 대한민국 해군), also known as the ROK Navy or South Korean Navy, is the naval warfare service branch of the South Korean armed forces, responsible for naval and amphibious operations. The ROK Navy i ...

, and the

German Navy The German Navy (, ) is the navy of Germany and part of the unified ''Bundeswehr'' (Federal Defense), the German Armed Forces. The German Navy was originally known as the ''Bundesmarine'' (Federal Navy) from 1956 to 1995, when ''Deutsche Mari ...

Development

Origins

The

Lockheed P-3 Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner."P-3C Orion long range ASW aircraft."
''Navy.mil,'' 18 February 2009. In the 1980s, the USN began studies for a P-3 replacement, the range and endurance of which were reduced due to increasing weight and airframe fatigue life limitations. The specification required a new aircraft to have reduced operating and support costs. In 1989, Lockheed was awarded a fixed-price contract to develop the P-7, but this was canceled the following year. In 2000, a second competition for a replacement began. Lockheed Martin submitted the Orion 21, an updated new-build version of the P-3. Boeing's proposal was based on its

737-800 The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as 737NG, or 737 Next Gen, is a narrow-body aircraft powered by two jet engines and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Launched in 1993 as the third generation derivative of the Boeing ...

airliner. BAE Systems offered a new-build version of the

Nimrod MRA4 The BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 was a planned maritime patrol and attack aircraft intended to replace the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2. The rebuilt aircraft would have extended the operating life of the Nimrod fleet by several decades and signific ...

, a British jet-powered maritime patrol aircraft. BAE withdrew from the competition in October 2002, recognizing that without a production partner based in the United States, the bid was politically unrealistic. On 14 May 2004, Boeing was selected as the winner of the Multimission Maritime Aircraft program.LeMond-Holman, Ellen et al
"Boeing team wins $3.89 Billion multi-mission Maritime Aircraft Program."
''Boeing'', 14 May 2004. In June 2004, the USN awarded a development contract to Boeing. The project was planned to be for at least 108 airframes for the USN. More orders are possible from the other nations operating over 200 P-3s. Project value is expected to be worth at least $15 billion.

Raytheon Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It is one of the largest aerospace and defense manufacturers in the world by revenue and market capitali ...

Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense technology company. With 90,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military techn ...

Spirit AeroSystems Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc., based in Wichita, Kansas, is the world's largest first-tier aerostructures manufacturer. The company builds several important pieces of Boeing aircraft, including the fuselage of the 737, portions of the 787 fu ...

GE Aviation Systems GE Aviation Systems (formerly Smiths Aerospace) is an American aerospace engineering, aircraft engine and aircraft parts manufacturer. Smiths Aerospace was formerly one of four business units of Smiths Group plc., an engineering company and cons ...

Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group Marshall Group, formerly Marshall of Cambridge and Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, is a British company headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Subsidiaries include Marshall Aerospace, an aircraft maintenance, modification, and desig ...

CFM International CFM International is a 50/50 Franco-American joint venture between GE Aviation and Safran Aircraft Engines (formerly known as Snecma). It was formed to build and support the CFM56 series of turbofan engines. The company is the world’s lead ...

, BAE Systems, and

Marotta Founded in 1943, Marotta Controls, Inc. is one of the technology businesses in New Jersey, specializing in the design, manufacture and integration of precision control components and systems. It offers valves, manifolds, power conversion, motor ...

are major subcontractors. In July 2004, the USN placed an order for five aircraft, and the first flight-test aircraft was to be completed in 2009."P-8A multi-mission maritime aircraft (MMA)."
''U.S. Navy,'' 17 February 2009. On 30 March 2005, it was assigned the P-8A designation.

Design phase and testing

The P-8 is to replace the P-3. Initially, it was equipped with legacy systems with later upgrades to incorporate newer technology. The Government Accountability Office credited the incremental approach with keeping the project on schedule and on budget. The

Naval Air Systems Command The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) provides materiel support for aircraft and airborne weapon systems for the United States Navy. It is one of the Echelon II Navy systems commands (SYSCOM), and was established in 1966 as the successor to the ...

(NAVAIR) deleted the requirement for the P-8A to be equipped with

magnetic anomaly detection A magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) is an instrument used to detect minute variations in the Earth's magnetic field. The term refers specifically to magnetometers used by military forces to detect submarines (a mass of ferromagnetic material crea ...

(MAD) equipment as a weight reduction measure, improving endurance. A hydrocarbon sensor detects fuel vapors from diesel-powered submarines and ships. The P-8's first flight was on 25 April 2009. The second and third P-8s had flown and were in flight testing in early August 2010.Ramey, Chick and Doug Abbotts
"Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft T3 enters flight test."
''Boeing'', 2 August 2010. On 11 August 2010, low-rate production of the P-8 was approved. A P-8 released sonobuoys for the first time on 15 October 2010, dropping six in three separate low-altitude passes. In 2011, the ice detection system was found to be defective due to the use of counterfeit components; allegedly these parts were poorly refurbished and sold to subcontractor BAE Systems as new by a Chinese supplier. P 8 and P 3 over Pax River

On 4 March 2012, the first production P-8A was delivered to the USN, flying to

Naval Air Station Jacksonville Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jacksonville) is a large naval air station located approximately eight miles (13 km) south of the central business district of Jacksonville, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25 Location NAS Jac ...

, Florida, for training with the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), Patrol Squadron 30 (VP-30).Majumdar, Dave
"Picture: Boeing delivers first production P-8A."
''Flight International'', 8 March 2012. On 24 September 2012, Boeing announced a $1.9 billion order for 11 aircraft. On 10 June 2013, a

U.S. Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secur ...

(DoD) Inspector General (IG) report recommended delaying full-rate production over a lack of key data to assess if the P-8 met operational requirements; additional tests were also needed to guarantee a 25-year lifespan. Boeing executives dismissed the report, saying that the test program was on track. In 2013, full-rate production was delayed until the P-8 could demonstrate it can survive its 25-year lifespan without structural fatigue, overcome deficiencies, track surface ships, and perform primary missions. On 24 June 2013, during weapons integration testing, the P-8 achieved a significant milestone by firing a live

AGM-84 Harpoon The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Defense, Space & Security). The AGM-84E Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) and later AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER (Standoff Land Attack ...

anti-ship missile and scored a direct hit on a low-cost modular target. On 1 July 2013, an initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) report found that the P-8A was "operationally effective, operationally suitable, and ready for fleet introduction." Six test and nine low-rate initial production aircraft had been delivered at that point.P-8A judged ready for fleet introduction
– Flightglobal.com, 9 July 2013 On 31 July 2013, Boeing received a $2.04 billion contract to build 13 P-8As in the fourth low-rate initial production lot, for a fleet of 37 aircraft by the end of 2016, and long-lead parts for 16 P-8As of the first full-rate production lot. In January 2014, Naval Air Systems Command proceeded with full-rate production of the P-8A. Increment 1 systems include persistent

(ASW) capabilities and an integrated sensor suite; in 2016, Increment 2 upgrades will add multi-static active coherent acoustics, an automated identification system, and high-altitude anti-submarine weapons. Increment 3 in 2020 shall enable "net-enabled anti-surface warfare". In July 2014, Fred Smith, business development director for the P-8, noted that the program had: "saved $2.1 billion on 2004 estimates of the cost of production... the aircraft is now selling for $150 million, down from the forecasted $216 million". The halving of USN orders from 16 aircraft per year down to 8 in 2015 due to the expiration of the

Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (; ) is a federal statute concerning spending and the budget in the United States, that was signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 26, 2013. On December 10, 2013, pursuant to the provisions of t ...

was expected to be partially offset by commercial 737 sales and P-8 export sales. The DoD wants to follow a program template for the P-8 similar to the

Joint Strike Fighter Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a development and acquisition program intended to replace a wide range of existing fighter, strike, and ground attack aircraft for the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands ...

(JSF) program, with international cooperation from prospective users.

Derivatives

In 2010, Boeing proposed to replace the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

's (USAF)

E-8 Joint STARS The Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) is a United States Air Force airborne ground surveillance, battle management and command and control aircraft. It tracks ground vehicles and some aircraft, col ...

fleet with a modified P-8 at the same cost Northrop Grumman proposed for re-engining and upgrading the E-8s.Trimble, Stephen
"Boeing pitches P-8 variant to replace JSTARS."
''Flight International'', 18 February 2010. The proposed P-8 Airborne Ground Surveillance (AGS) would integrate an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and have ground moving target indicator (GMTI) and

synthetic aperture radar Synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) is a form of radar that is used to create two-dimensional images or three-dimensional reconstructions of objects, such as landscapes. SAR uses the motion of the radar antenna over a target region to provide fine ...

(SAR) capabilities. A key feature was a pod-mounted radar on the fuselage's lower centerline, positioned so the engine nacelles do not obstruct its line of sight. It reuses the P-8A's Raytheon AN/APY-10 multi-mission surface search radar. Two aft ventral fins increase stability.Cohen, Aubrey
"Boeing looks to sell more 737-based military jets."
''Seattle PI'', 9 June 2011. In 2013, Boeing proposed repackaging some of the P-8's systems in the smaller and less expensive Bombardier Challenger 600 series business jet, as the

Boeing Maritime Surveillance Aircraft The Bombardier Challenger 600 series is a family of business jets developed by Canadair after a Bill Lear concept, and then produced from 1986 by its new owner, Bombardier Aerospace. At the end of 1975, Canadair began funding the development ...

(MSA). In 2014, Boeing also offered a JSTARS replacement based on the

737-700 The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as 737NG, or 737 Next Gen, is a narrow-body aircraft powered by two jet engines and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Launched in 1993 as the third generation derivative of the Boeing ...

, rather than the P-8's 737-800.

Design

The P-8 is a militarized version of the 737-800ERX, a 737-800 with 737-900-based wings. The fuselage is similar to, but longer than, the 737-700-based

C-40 Clipper The Boeing C-40 Clipper is a military version of the Boeing 737 Next Generation used to transport cargo and passengers. It is used by the United States Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. The Navy C-40A variant is named "Clipper", whereas the ...

transport aircraft in service with the USN. The P-8 has a strengthened fuselage for low-altitude operations and

raked wingtips Wingtip devices are intended to improve the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft by reducing drag (physics), drag. Although there are several types of wing tip devices which function in different manners, their intended effect is always to redu ...

similar to those fitted to the Boeing 767-400ER, instead of the blended winglets available on 737NG variants. In order to power additional onboard electronics, the P-8 has a 180 kVA electric generator on each engine, replacing the 90 kVA generator of civilian 737s; this required the redesigning of the nacelles and their wing mountings. The P-8 has a smoother flight experience, subjecting crews to less turbulence and fumes than the preceding P-3, allowing them to concentrate better on missions. The P-8 features the Raytheon APY-10 multi-mission surface search radar;"AN/APY-10 maritime, littoral and overland surveillance radar."
''Raytheon'', 2011. the P-8I features an international version of the APY-10. Unlike the preceding P-3, the P-8 lacks a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) due to its higher operational altitude; its acoustic sensor system is reportedly more effective at acoustic tracking and thus lacking a MAD will not impede its detection capabilities; India's P-8I is equipped with a MAD per the contract request. Various sensor data are combined via

data fusion Data fusion is the process of integrating multiple data sources to produce more consistent, accurate, and useful information than that provided by any individual data source. Data fusion processes are often categorized as low, intermediate, or hig ...

software to track targets. Following the cancellation of Lockheed Martin's Aerial Common Sensor project, Boeing proposed a signals intelligence variant of the P-8 for the USN's requirement.Wastnage, Justin
"Boeing unveils new 737 signals intelligence concept."
''

Flight International ''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's old ...

'', 26 January 2006. Retrieved: 12 September 2012. During the P-8A Increment 2 upgrade in 2016, the APS-149 Littoral Surveillance Radar System (LSRS) will be replaced by the

Advanced Airborne Sensor The AN/APS-154 Advanced Airborne Sensor (AAS) is a multifunction radar installed on the P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The radar is built by Raytheon as a follow-on to their AN/APS-149 Littoral Surveillance Radar System (LSRS). The AAS ha ...

radar.Boeing P-8A Begins Advanced Airborne Sensor Testing
– Defense-Update.com, 17 April 2014

The five operator stations (two naval flight officers plus three enlisted Aviation Warfare Operators/naval aircrewman) are mounted in a sideways row, along the port side of the cabin. Other than one large window on each side of the forward cabin for two observers, none of the other crew stations have windows. A short bomb bay for torpedoes and other stores opens behind the wing. The P-8 is to be equipped with the High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC) Air Launch Accessory (ALA), turning a Mark 54 torpedo into a

glide bomb A glide bomb or stand-off bomb is a standoff weapon with flight control surfaces to give it a flatter, gliding flight path than that of a conventional bomb without such surfaces. This allows it to be released at a distance from the target r ...

for deploying from up to .BAE Systems to develop MAD ASW drone to help Navy P-8A find submarines from high altitudes
. Militaryaerospace.com, 14 January 2015. In U.S. service, the P-8A is complemented by the

MQ-4C Triton The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton is an American high-altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) under development for the United States Navy as a surveillance aircraft. Together with its associated ground control station, it is an ...

(UAV) which provides continuous surveillance. In January 2015, BAE Systems was awarded a contract for the USN's High Altitude ASW (HAASW) Unmanned Targeting Air System (UTAS) program to develop a sub-hunting UAV equipped with a MAD for launching from the P-8. The P-8 cannot use the hose-and-drogue in-flight refueling method, instead featuring a flying boom receptacle on the upper-forward fuselage, making it, like the USN's

E-6 Mercury The Boeing E-6 Mercury (formerly Hermes) is an airborne command post and communications relay based on the Boeing 707. The original E-6A manufactured by Boeing's defense division entered service with the United States Navy in July 1989, repla ...

TACAMO TACAMO (Take Charge And Move Out) is a United States military system of survivable communications links designed to be used in nuclear warfare to maintain communications between the decision-makers (the National Command Authority) and the t ...

aircraft, reliant on USAF

KC-135 Stratotanker The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of trans ...

KC-10 Extender The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is an American aerial refueling tanker aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). A military version of the three-engine DC-10 airliner, the KC-10 was developed from the Advanced Tanker Cargo A ...

and

KC-46 Pegasus The Boeing KC-46 Pegasus is an American military aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft developed by Boeing from its 767 jet airliner. In February 2011, the tanker was selected by the United States Air Force (USAF) as the w ...

aircraft for in-flight refueling. In April 2017, the USAF

459th Air Refueling Wing The 459th Air Refueling Wing is a wing of the Air Force Reserve Command of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Fourth Air Force and stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. If mobilized, the wing would be gained by the Air M ...

worked with the Naval Air Systems Command to certify operationally the P-8 for in-flight refueling. For extended endurance, six additional fuel tanks from Marshall Aerospace are housed in the forward and rear cargo compartments.

Operational history

United States

20190401 P-8 Poseidon Tail 169327 Kadena AB-115

In February 2012, the P-8 made its mission debut during "

Bold Alligator Bold Alligator is a multinational littoral warfare exercise hosted by the United States. It has been held annually since 2011. In 2012, it involved 14,000 marines, sailors, airmen and soldiers, encompassing more than 25 ships and involving eleven ...

" 2012, an annual littoral warfare exercise. In April 2012, it took part in

Exercise Joint Warrior Exercise Joint Warrior is a major biannual multi-national military exercise which takes place in the United Kingdom, predominately in north west Scotland. It is the successor of the Neptune Warrior exercises and Joint Maritime Course. Joint W ...

, flying out of

RAF Lossiemouth Royal Air Force Lossiemouth or more commonly RAF Lossiemouth is a military airfield located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland. Lossiemouth is one of the largest and busiest fast-jet stations in the R ...

. During

RIMPAC RIMPAC, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise. RIMPAC is held biennially during June and July of even-numbered years from Honolulu, Hawaii, with the exception of 2020 where it was held ...

2012 in the Hawaiian area, two P-8As participated in 24 scenarios as part of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron One (

VX-1 VX-1, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron One, (''AIRTEVRON ONE'') is a United States Navy air test and evaluation squadron based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Operations Operational aircraft are assigned to VX-1 including the P-8A P ...

) while forward deployed to Marine Corps Base Hawaii. On 29 November 2013, its inaugural deployment began when six aircraft and 12 air crews of squadron

VP-16 VP-16, nicknamed the ''War Eagles'', is an active Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. It has been based at NAS Jacksonville, Florida since its founding in 1946. The squadron's mission is to operate Maritime patrol aircraft to the fleet in support ...

departed its home station of NAS Jacksonville, Florida, for

Kadena Air Base (IATA: DNA, ICAO: RODN) is a highly strategic United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its highl ...

in Okinawa, Japan. This deployment was a pre-planned regional re-balancing action, but occurred shortly after China's establishment of the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone, heightening tensions. During exercises in 2012 and 2013, and an overseas deployment to Japan, the P-8 reportedly exhibited radar, sensor integration, and data transfer problems, leading to additional testing. In 2012–3, Director, Operational Test and Evaluation of the US government evaluated the P-8A Increment 1, and reported the following findings: *P-8A was effective for small-area and cued ASW search, localization and attack missions, but lacked the broad-area ASW acoustic search capability of the P-3C. P-8A's Mk 54 torpedoes were of limited use against evasive targets. *P-8A was effective at ASuW search, detection and classification in all-weather at short to medium ranges for all surface vessels and at longer ranges for larger vessels. *P-8A was not effective for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance mission due to various issues including lack of high-resolution SAR capability. *P-8A had much better range, speed, and reliability than older aircraft. DOTE concluded that it was not ready for deployment. Pentagon acquisition undersecretary

Frank Kendall Frank Kendall III (born January 26, 1949) is an American engineer, lawyer and executive who is the 26th and current United States Secretary of the Air Force. He has served in several senior positions in the U.S. Department of Defense. A West Poi ...

disputed the report, saying that although its findings are factual, it did not acknowledge future capability upgrades for anti-submarine and wider-area surveillance. A second squadron,

VP-5 Patrol Squadron FIVE (VP-5) is a long-lived maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy. It is the second squadron to bear the VP-5 designation. VP-5 is the second oldest patrol squadron, the fourth oldest in the United States Navy, and t ...

, completed its transition to the P-8 in August 2013. During mid-2014, a pair of P-8s were dispatched to

Perth, Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

for two months for an international search for the missing

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370/MAS370) was an international passenger flight operated by Malaysia Airlines that disappeared on 8 March 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia to its planned destination ...

. On 2 October 2015, USN P-8s stationed at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, alongside U.S. Coast Guard HC-144A Ocean Sentry, HC-130H and USAF Reserve HC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft, searched the Eastern Caribbean Sea for the missing SS El Faro cargo ship that sank on 1 October in the Category 3

Hurricane Joaquin Hurricane Joaquin (, ) was a powerful tropical cyclone that devastated several districts of The Bahamas and caused damage in the Turks and Caicos Islands, parts of the Greater Antilles, and Bermuda. It was also the strongest Atlantic hurricane o ...

near Crooked Island in the

Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the ar ...

. On 20 February 2018, a P-8 of Patrol Squadron Eight (VP-8) rescued three

fishermen A fisher or fisherman is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishers and fish farmers. Fishers may be professional or recreati ...

whose vessel had been adrift in the South

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...

for eight days, deploying a search and rescue (SAR) kit containing supplies and communications equipment, the first time that a P-8 deployed a SAR kit in a real operation. USN P-8s routinely rotate through bases of allies.Shalal-Esa, Andrea and Eveline Danubrata
"U.S. Navy may station ships in Singapore, Philippines."
''Reuters'', 16 December 2011. In September 2014, the Malaysian government offered the use of bases in

East Malaysia East Malaysia (), or the Borneo States, also known as Malaysian Borneo, is the part of Malaysia on and near the island of Borneo, the world's third-largest island. Near the coast of Sabah is a small archipelago called Labuan. East Malaysia li ...

for P-8s, but no flights have yet been approved. On 7 December 2015, P-8s were deployed to Singapore as part of a Defense Cooperation Agreement between the US and Singapore for "fighting terrorism and piracy." China criticized the Singapore deployment as "regional militarization by the U.S." The third detachment of two P-8s based in

Paya Lebar Air Base The Paya Lebar Air Base is a military airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) located at Airport Road in Paya Lebar, in the eastern region of Singapore. The airbase goes by the motto of ''Strength Through Readiness''. It was ...

, Singapore, participated in naval military drills with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in mid 2016. During the

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. ...

, at or before the time when the Russian Navy cruiser '' Moskva'' suffered damage and caught fire on 13–14 April, a U.S. Navy P-8A from Italy was patrolling within its radar range over the Black Sea and the U.S., when asked, did identify the ship as the ''Moskva'' as part of intelligence sharing to help Ukraine "defend against attack from Russian ships." The ''Moskva'' later sank. Ukraine claimed to have hit the vessel with one or more Neptune missiles. Russia claimed that the damage was accidental and not caused by a missile strike.Attack of the Russian Navy Cruiser Moskva (2022 April 14) https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ukraine-war-us-spy-plane-on-patrol-in-black-sea-before-sinking-of-russian-flagship-moskva-fblbg0zndhttps://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/us-intel-helped-ukraine-sink-russian-flagship-moskva-officials-say-rcna27559

India

In January 2008, Boeing proposed the P-8I, a customized export variant of the P-8A, for the

. It features two major components not fitted on the P-8A, a Telephonics APS-143 OceanEye aft radar and a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD). On 4 January 2009, India's Ministry of Defence signed a US$2.1 billion agreement with Boeing for eight P-8Is to replace the Indian Navy's aging

Tupolev Tu-142 The Tupolev Tu-142 (russian: Туполев Ту-142; NATO reporting name: Bear F/J) is a Soviet/Russian maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft derived from the Tu-95 turboprop strategic bomber. A specialised commun ...

M maritime surveillance turboprops.Pandit, Rajat
"India inks largest-ever defence deal with US."
''The Times of India'', 5 January 2009. It was Boeing's first military sale to India and the P-8's first international customer.Ratnam, Gopal and Edmond Lococo
"Boeing to sell eight reconnaissance planes to India."
''Bloomberg,'' 6 January 2009. In October 2010, India's Defence Acquisition Council approved the purchase of four additional P-8Is;Raman, P.K
"Navy stamps blue Water presence across IOR, bolsters capacity with induction of MiG-29k, INS Shivalik."
''India: Press Information Bureau English Releases,'' 2010. contract signature followed in July 2016 with deliveries expected to start from 2020. In 2011, India planned to order twelve more P-8Is at a later date; in 2019, this was cut to eight to ten due to a limited budget.Luthra, Gulshan

''India Strategic'', December 2011. In November 2019, the Indian government approved the procurement of six more P-8Is. In April 2021, the US Department of State approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of six more P-8Is to India pending Congressional approval. Of the 4 additional P-8Is ordered the first was delivered to Indian naval air station

INS Hansa INS Hansa, is an Indian naval air station located near Dabolim in Goa, India. Data current as of October 2006. It is India's biggest naval airbase. The military air base has a civil enclave, that operates as Dabolim Airport. History ''INS ...

Dabolim Dabolim is a village, with a total population of around 6700, in Mormugão, Goa, India. It is located about 30 km from the state capital Panjim, 23 km from the South Goa district headquarters Margão and 5 kilometres from Vas ...

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

on 19 November 2020, followed by another on 13 July 2021, the remaining 2 were delivered on 30 December 2021.Indian Navy's P-8I Neptune MPA Commence Operations from INS Hansa
Naval News 4 January 2022 Operators on Indian Navy's Boeing P-8I search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (2)

Operators on Indian Navy's Boeing P-8I search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (2)

The

Bharat Electronics Limited Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is an Indian Government-owned aerospace and defence electronics company. It primarily manufactures advanced electronic products for ground and aerospace applications. BEL is one of nine PSUs under the Ministry ...

(BEL) Data Link II communications allows the P-8I to exchange tactical data between Indian Navy aircraft, ships and shore establishments; it also features an integrated BEL-developed

IFF In logic and related fields such as mathematics and philosophy, "if and only if" (shortened as "iff") is a biconditional logical connective between statements, where either both statements are true or both are false. The connective is bicon ...

system. India has purchased AGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles and Mk 54 All-Up-Round Lightweight torpedoes for the P-8I. In July 2012, Boeing began P-8I flight testing. On 19 December 2012, the first P-8I was handed over at Boeing's facility in Seattle."Navy gets first long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft."
''The Times of India''. Retrieved: 9 January 2013. It was inducted into the Indian Navy on 15 May 2013. The type is based at INS ''Rajali'', in

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

. In 2014, several Indian Navy P-8Is conducted search operations for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The Indian Navy inducted the first squadron in November 2015. P-8Is participated in the 2017 Doklam Standoff between

Indian Army The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...

and China's People's Liberation Army. Indian Navy P-8Is also monitored

Pakistani Army The Pakistan Army (, ) is the land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the Partition of British India, which occurred as a result ...

units during the 2019 Pulwama standoff.

Australia

On 20 July 2007, the Australian Minister for Defence announced that the P-8A was the preferred aircraft to replace the

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

fleet of Lockheed

AP-3C Orion The Lockheed AP-3C Orion is a variant of the P-3 Orion used by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) for tasks such as naval fleet support, maritime surveillance, search and survivor supply and anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare. The 18 AP ...

s in conjunction with a then yet-to-be-selected unmanned aerial vehicle. The last AP-3C was scheduled to be retired in 2018, after nearly 30 years of service. In March 2009, Australia's Chief of Air Force stated that, subject to government approval, the RAAF would introduce the P-8 in 2016. In October 2012, Australia formalized its participation, committing A$73.9m (US$81.1m) in an agreement with the USN. In July 2013, Air Marshal Geoff Brown, head of the RAAF, said Australia was considering buying more P-8s and fewer MQ-4C Triton UAVs than earlier planned. On 21 February 2014, Prime Minister

Tony Abbott Anthony John Abbott (; born 4 November 1957) is a former Australian politician who served as the 28th prime minister of Australia from 2013 to 2015. He held office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. Abbott was born in Londo ...

announced the intention to procure eight P-8s plus options for four more; entry into service is planned for 2021. In July 2014, negotiations commenced between Boeing and the US Department of Defense to integrate the AGM-84 Harpoon Block 1G anti-ship missile onto the P-8A on Australia's behalf. In August 2014, the USN concluded an advanced acquisition contract on the first four of up to 12 P-8As to be bought by Australia, with delivery expected from 2017. In January 2016, Australia ordered a further four P-8s. The 2016 Defence White Paper stated that eight P-8s would be in service in the early 2020s and that 15 P-8s are planned for by the late 2020s. Including support facilities, the first group of eight aircraft's total cost is estimated at $3.6 billion (AU$4 billion). The RAAF accepted its first P-8 on 27 September 2016; it arrived in Australia on 14 November. The RAAF has received 12 P-8As by 13 December 2019. The Australian Government approved ordering of two additional aircraft on 30 December 2020. The option to acquire a 15th aircraft may not be taken up. According to the Australian Defence Minister,

Richard Marles Richard Donald Marles (born 13 July 1967) is an Australian politician serving as the 19th deputy prime minister of Australia and the Minister for Defence. He has been the deputy leader of the Labor Party since 2019 and previously served as D ...

, in May 2022, a Chinese

J-16 The Shenyang J-16 ( Chinese: 歼-16) is a Chinese advanced fourth-generation, tandem-seat, twinjet, multirole strike fighterBronk, page 38 developed from the Shenyang J-11 (itself derived from the Sukhoi Su-27) and built by Shenyang Aircraft Co ...

is alleged to have flown alongside a RAAF P-8. Deploying flares and chaff. One piece of chaff is alleged to have gone into the P-8's engine.

United Kingdom

In August 2012, it was reported that Boeing saw the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

as a market for the P-8, following the cancellation of the

. On 23 November 2015, the UK announced its intention to order nine P-8s in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. They are to be based at

, Scotland and shall protect the UK's nuclear deterrent and aircraft carriers, as well as perform search-and-rescue and overland reconnaissance missions. On 25 March 2016, the U.S. State Department approved a proposed Foreign Military Sale to the UK for up to nine P-8s and associated support. The

(RAF) plans to operate the P-8 with U.S. weapons initially, and may transition to British weapons later. It is unclear whether the UK will have access to future ground-surveillance capabilities developed for the P-8. On 11 July 2016, Boeing announced the signing of a $3.87 billion (£3 billion) contract for nine P-8s and support infrastructure, spread across three production lots over a ten-year period, with deliveries commencing in 2019. The RAF has the service name Poseidon MRA1. They are operated by No. 120 Squadron and No. 201 Squadron. The first Poseidon MRA1 (''ZP801'') made its initial flight on 13 July 2019. The UK took delivery of the first aircraft, named ''Pride of Moray'', at Boeing's Seattle facility on 29 October. It arrived at

Kinloss Barracks Kinloss Barracks is a military installation located near the village of Kinloss, on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland. Until 2012 it was a Royal Air Force (RAF) station, RAF Kinloss. History RAF Kinloss The Royal Air Force station ...

in February 2020 before relocating to RAF Lossiemouth in October 2020, along with ''ZP802'' which was delivered on 13 March 2020. The RAF declared the P-8 had reached

initial operating capability Initial operating capability or initial operational capability (IOC) is the state achieved when a capability is available in its minimum usefully deployable form. The term is often used in government or military procurement. The United States D ...

(IOC) on 1 April 2020. The final aircraft arrived in January 2022. Poseidon names: *''ZP801'' – ''Pride of Moray'' *''ZP802'' – ''City of Elgin'' *''ZP803'' – '' Terence Bulloch DSO* DFC*'' *''ZP804'' – ''Spirit of

Reykjavík Reykjavík ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói bay. Its latitude is 64°08' N, making it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. With a po ...

'' *''ZP805'' – ''

Fulmar The fulmars are tubenosed seabirds of the family Procellariidae. The family consists of two extant species and two extinct fossil species from the Miocene. Fulmars superficially resemble gulls, but are readily distinguished by their flight on ...

'' *''ZP806'' – '' Guernsey's Reply'' *''ZP807'' – ''

William Barker William Barker may refer to: Politicians *William Barker (translator) ( 1570), English translator and MP for Great Yarmouth and Bramber * William Barker (MP for Berkshire) (died 1685), English Member of Parliament for Berkshire * Sir William Bark ...

VC''

Norway

In March 2014, Norwegian newspaper ''

Dagbladet ''Dagbladet'' (lit.: ''The Daily Magazine'') is one of Norway's largest newspapers and is published in the tabloid format. It has 1,400,000 daily readers on mobile, web and paper. Traditionally ''Dagbladet'' is considered the main liberal newspa ...

'' reported that the Royal Norwegian Air Force is considering leasing aircraft from Boeing as No. 333 Squadron RNoAF's six P-3 Orions were becoming increasingly difficult to keep operational. In June 2016, Norwegian newspaper ''

Verdens Gang ''Verdens Gang'' ("The course of the world"), generally known under the abbreviation ''VG'', is a Norwegian tabloid newspaper. In 2016, circulation numbers stood at 93,883, having declined from a peak circulation of 390,510 in 2002. ''VG'' is n ...

'' reported that the Norwegian government would buy four new surveillance aircraft in its long-term defense plan; the P-8 was seen as the main option. In December 2016, the U.S. State Department approved the sale with congressional approval pending. On 29 March 2017, Norway signed a contract for five P-8As, to be delivered between 2022 and 2023. On 13 July 2021, Boeing rolled out first P-8As Poseidon aircraft from the paint shop for Norway. The first aircraft was delivered on 18 November 2021. It is to be operated by the 133 Air Wing, 333 Squadron at

Evenes Air Station Evenes Air Station is a military airbase of the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) located in the town of Evenes in Evenes Municipality, Nordland county, Norway. History The air station was initially opened in 1979 as a hub for Bodø Main A ...

New Zealand

Boeing publicly identified the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a potential customer in 2008, as a replacement for its P-3 Orions, due for replacement in 2025. In April 2017, the U.S. State Department approved the possible foreign military sale of up to four P-8As with equipment and support, valued at US$1.46 billion. In July 2018, the New Zealand government announced the purchase of four P-8As, to begin operations in 2023. Four P-8As were ordered in March 2019. The RNZAF is planning to operate the type for at least 30 years. In September 2020, the inaugural Royal New Zealand Air Force crew for the P-8A graduated training at Jacksonville, Florida. This crew will then qualify as instructors to train the first RNZAF crews back in New Zealand. The first P-8A was delivered in December 2022.

South Korea

In May 2013, it was announced that the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) was commencing a procurement program to acquire up to 20 ASW aircraft to replace the

's fleet of 16 P-3Cs; possible candidates included the C-295 MPA, P-8, Saab Swordfish and the SC-130J Sea Hercules. DAPA considered procuring 12 to 20 ex-USN

Lockheed S-3 Viking The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a four-crew, twin-engine turbofan-powered jet aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Corporation. Because of its characteristic sound, it was nicknamed the "War Hoover" after th ...

s. In 2017, the ROKN canceled plans to buy refurbished S-3s. On 26 June 2018, it was announced that DAPA had selected the P-8 and would acquire six aircraft through the US Foreign Military Sales program. On 13 September 2018, the US state department stated it supported the sale of 6 P-8s and notified Congress. South Korea ordered six P-8As in March 2019 and expected to be completed by June 2020.

Germany

The US Department of State approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of five P-8As with associated equipment to Germany for an estimated cost of $1.77 billion. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified US Congress of the possible sale on 12 March 2021. On 23 June 2021, Germany approved the purchase of five P-8As worth $1.31 billion. On 28 September 2021, Germany finalized the purchase and is to retire its existing P-3C Orions when the P-8s are delivered. According to information published by Nord 24 on 1 June 2022, seven additional P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft have been ordered by the German MoD.

Potential operators

Brazil

On 23 September 2022, Boeing's Latin America director, Tim Flood, presented the capabilities of the P-8 to the Brazilian Air Force commander, General

Carlos de Almeida Baptista Júnior Carlos de Almeida Baptista Júnior (born in Rio de Janeiro) is a Brazilians, Brazilian military, Brigadier, Lieutenant-Brigadier of the Air, and Commander of the Brazilian Air Force. Baptista Júnior became commander in April 2021, replacing Anton ...

. According to Baptista Júnior, "the discussions have a great importance to prospect the future of FAB's maritime patrol aviation", as part of a plan to replace its P-3AMs currently in service.

Canada

Boeing identified that the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

's fleet of

CP-140 Aurora The Lockheed CP-140 Aurora is a maritime patrol aircraft operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force. The aircraft is based on the Lockheed P-3 Orion airframe, but mounts the electronics suite of the Lockheed S-3 Viking. "Aurora" refers to the R ...

s (Canadian variant of the P-3 Orion) would begin to reach the end of their service life by 2025. Boeing offered the Challenger MSA, a smaller and cheaper aircraft based on the Bombardier Challenger 650 integrating many of the P-8's sensors and equipment, to complement but not replace the CP-140s. Boeing's Aurora replacement offer was the P-8A with modifications specific to Canadian operations. In 2019, Canada announced the start of a project to replace its CP-140 Aurora aircraft, named "Canadian Multimission Aircraft Project". Under the requirements, the Canadian Armed Forces need a manned, long-range platform, capable of providing C4, ISR, and ASW with the ability to engage/control and to fully integrate with other ISR and ASW assets. The project is valued at greater than

Can$ The Canadian dollar (symbol: $; code: CAD; french: dollar canadien) is the currency of Canada. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, there is no standard disambiguating form, but the abbreviation Can$ is often suggested by notable style ...

5 billion. In 2022, Boeing officially announced they would offer the P-8A in the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft project with CAE, GE Aviation Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defence, KF Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace Canada and Raytheon Canada.

Italy

Italy indicated interest in purchasing P-8s, with fleet support provided by

Alitalia Alitalia - Società Aerea Italiana S.p.A., operating as Alitalia (), was an Italian airline which was once the flag carrier and largest airline of Italy. The company had its head office in Fiumicino, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital. The ai ...

, in 2004."U.S. MMA decision reverberates in Italy". '' Aviation Week & Space Technology'', 21 June 2004. However, in December 2008, Italy announced the purchase of four

ATR 72 The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul regional airliner developed and produced in France and Italy by aircraft manufacturer ATR (french: Avions de transport régional or it, Aerei da Trasporto Regionale), a joint venture formed ...

aircraft to replace its aging

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

maritime patrol fleet, possibly as a temporary solution because Italy remained interested in the P-8.

Malaysia

In December 2017, the Royal Malaysian Air Force's Brigadier General Yazid Bin Arshad announced it had shortlisted four aircraft types to replace the force's aging fleet of

Beechcraft Super King Air The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by Beechcraft. The Model 200 and Model 300 series were originally marketed as the "Super King Air" family; the "Super" designation was dropped in 1996 ...

maritime patrol aircraft; these are the EADS CASA C-295 from

Airbus Airbus SE (; ; ; ) is a European multinational aerospace corporation. Airbus designs, manufactures and sells civil and military aerospace products worldwide and manufactures aircraft throughout the world. The company has three divisions: ' ...

, the P-8 from Boeing,

ATR 72 MP The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul regional airliner developed and produced in France and Italy by aircraft manufacturer ATR (french: Avions de transport régional or it, Aerei da Trasporto Regionale), a joint venture formed by ...

from

ATR ATR may refer to: Medicine * Acute transfusion reaction * Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3 related, a protein involved in DNA damage repair Science and mathematics * Advanced Test Reactor, nuclear research reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory, ...

, and the

CASA/IPTN CN-235 The CASA/IPTN CN-235 is a medium-range twin-engined transport aircraft that was jointly developed by CASA of Spain and Indonesian manufacturer IPTN. It is operated as both a regional airliner and military transport; its primary military roles ...

, possibly provided by either Airbus or

Indonesian Aerospace Indonesian Aerospace (IAe) ( id, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (Persero)), is an Indonesian aerospace company involved in aircraft design and the development and manufacture of civilian and military regional commuter aircraft. The company was formerly k ...

, which acquired a licence to produce it. Arshad added that: "these four types are shortlisted, the door is not closed yet", indicating other options may be possible.

NATO

In April 2019, Boeing was reported to be in exploratory talks with various

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

allies to offer the P-8 as a NATO-shared interim solution to provide European allies with its capabilities until domestic capabilities could be secured by 2035.

Saudi Arabia

In 2017, Boeing announced it had signed several agreements with

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...

, which intends to order P-8 aircraft. The

International Institute for Strategic Studies The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a British research institute or think tank in the area of international affairs. Since 1997, its headquarters have been Arundel House in London, England. The 2017 Global Go To Think ...

reported in 2019 that a Saudi order for the type was still pending.

Turkey

In 2016, Turkey indicated that it planned to acquire a new MMA aircraft to supplement existing assets, the P-8A being the main candidate based on the required performance.

Variants

* P-8A Poseidon – Production variant developed for the United States Navy. * P-8I Neptune – Export variant for the Indian Navy with a

CAE Inc CAE Inc. (formerly Canadian Aviation Electronics) is a Canadian manufacturer of simulation technologies, modelling technologies and training services to airlines, aircraft manufacturers, healthcare specialists, and defence customers. CAE was fou ...

AN/ASQ-508A Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) and a

Griffon Corporation Griffon Corporation is a multinational conglomerate headquartered in New York City. The company conducts its operations through five subsidiaries: The AMES Companies, ClosetMaid, Clopay Building Products, CornellCookson, and Telephonics Cor ...

Telephonics APS-143C(V)3 multi mode aft radar added. * Poseidon MRA1 – Royal Air Force designation for the P-8A. * P-8 AGS – An Airborne Ground Surveillance variant proposed to the USAF in 2010 as replacement to the E-8 Joint STARS fleet; equipped with a pod-mounted, active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.

Operators

; *

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

– 12 P-8As delivered as of July 2022, with an additional 2 on order. **

RAAF Base Edinburgh RAAF Base Edinburgh is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military airbase located in Edinburgh approximately north of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia and forms part of the Edinburgh Defence Precinct. The base is primarily home to No 9 ...

, South Australia *** No. 11 Squadron *** No. 292 Squadron ( Operational Conversion Unit) ; *

– 5 P-8As on order, with deliveries beginning in 2024. 7 more planned. ; *

– 12 P-8Is delivered as of February 2022. **

INS Rajali INS Rajali, is an Indian naval air station located near Arakkonam, Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu in southern India. It operates under the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy, and has the longest military runway in Asia. Data current as ...

, Tamil Nadu ***

INAS 312 The INAS 312 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Rajali. History The Navy’s first long range Maritime Reconnaissance squadron was commissioned with five ex IAF Super Constellation aircraft on 18 November 1976. Cdr R D Dhir was the ...

-A **

, Goa. *** INAS 316Indian Navy enhances reach with new reconnaissance aircraft squadron based in Goa
India Today 5 January 2022 ; * Royal New Zealand Air Force – The first P-8A was delivered in December 2022, with a further 3 aircraft to be delivered by mid-2023. **

RNZAF Base Ohakea RNZAF Base Ohakea is an operational base of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Opened in 1939, it is located near Bulls, 25 km north-west of Palmerston North in the Manawatu. It is also a diversion landing point for civilian aircraft. The bas ...

*** No. 5 Squadron ; *

– 5 P-8A delivered as of 26 May 2022 with 2 delivered to Naval Air Station Jacksonville for training and 3 in Norway. 5 P-8As were on order. ; *

– 6 P-8As on order, with deliveries beginning in 2022. ; *

– 9 Poseidon MRA1s delivered as of January 2022. **

, Moray, Scotland *** No. 54 Squadron (OCU) *** No. 120 Squadron *** No. 201 Squadron ; *

– 112 P-8As delivered through July 2022, with 128 aircraft on order in April 2021. ** Dallas Love Field, Texas ***BUPERS SDC Dallas **

, Florida ***VPU-2 ***

***

VP-8 Patrol Squadron Eight (VP-8) is a U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida (USA). VP-8 is tasked to undertake maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance and recon ...

***

VP-10 Patrol Squadron 10 (VP-10) is a United States Navy Patrol Squadron based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It is nicknamed the "Red Lancers" and is equipped with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon. It is the third sq ...

***

*** VP-26 ***

VP-30 Patrol Squadron 30 (VP-30) is a maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy, established on 30 June 1960. It is based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida. Mission VP-30's mission is to provide Lockheed P-3C Orion and Boeing P ...

( Fleet Replacement Squadron) *** VP-45 **

Naval Air Station Patuxent River Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States naval air station located in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River. It is home to Headquarters, Naval Air S ...

, Maryland ***

***

VX-20 VX-20, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Twenty, (''AIRTEVRON TWO ZERO'') is a United States Navy air test and evaluation squadron based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Operations VX-20 operates a variety of Naval aircraft for testin ...

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) is a naval air station of the United States Navy located on two pieces of land near Oak Harbor, on Whidbey Island, in Island County, Washington. The main portion of the base, Ault Field, is about ...

, Washington *** VP-1 ***

VP-4 Patrol Squadron Four (VP-4) is a U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron based at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, Washington, which is tasked to undertake maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance ...

***

VP-9 Patrol Squadron 9 (VP-9) is a U.S. Navy patrol squadron with its homeport located at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. As of 2018, VP-9 is part of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten, Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific. The squadron was establ ...

***

VP-40 VP-40 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 55 (VP-55) on 1 August 1940, redesignated Patrol Squadron 74 (VP-74) on 1 July 1941, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 74 (VPB-74) on 1 October 1944, ...

***

VP-46 Patrol Squadron 46 (VP-46), also known as the "Grey Knights", is a maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. Part of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten, VP-46 is the oldest maritime p ...

***

VP-47 Patrol Squadron 47 (VP-47), also known as "The Golden Swordsmen", is a maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington (USA), attached to Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10. The squadron curr ...

Specifications (P-8A)

P-8A Poseidon of VP-16 dropping torpedo in 2013

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * *

External links

*
P-8 NAVAIR page
an
P-8 fact file on Navy.mil

P-8A Poseidon – Australian International Airshow 2009

Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) on navyrecognition.com
* {{US patrol aircraft P-08 Poseidon 2000s United States patrol aircraft Twinjets Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 2009 Boeing military aircraft

Development

Origins

Design phase and testing

Derivatives

Design

Operational history

United States

India

Australia

United Kingdom

Norway

New Zealand

South Korea

Germany

Potential operators

Brazil

Canada

Italy

Malaysia

NATO

Saudi Arabia

Turkey

Variants

Operators

Specifications (P-8A)

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links