Description & Purpose:
The P-8A Poseidon is a
long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and
littoral operations.
A derivative of the Next-Generation 737-800, the P-8A combines superior
performance and reliability with an advanced mission system that ensures
maximum interoperability in the future battle space.
Customers:
The P-8A is being developed for the
U.S. Navy by a Boeing-led industry team that consists of CFM International,
Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, GE Aviation, BAE Systems and Spirit AeroSystems.
The U.S. Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8As to replace its fleet of P-3C
aircraft. In January 2011, Boeing received a $1.6 billion contract for low-rate
initial production of the first six aircraft, spares, logistics and training
devices; in November 2011, Boeing received a $1.7 billion LRIP award for seven
additional P-8As. In September 2012, Boeing received a $1.9 billion contract
for 11 aircraft, bringing the total to 24.
P-8A initial operational capability is
slated for 2013.
On Jan. 1, 2009, Boeing signed a contract with the government of India to
provide eight P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine
warfare aircraft to the Indian navy. The P-8I is a derivative of the P-8A
designed specifically for the Indian navy.
Australia signed an MOU with the U.S. Navy in 2009 and will collaborate in
Increment 2. In March 2012, a production, sustainment and follow-on development
MOU was signed.
General
Characteristics:
Propulsion:
Two CFM56-7 engines providing 27,000 pounds thrust each
Length:
129.5 feet (39.47 meters)
Wing
Span:
123.6 feet (37.64 meters)
Height:
42.1 feet (12.83 meters)
Maximum
Takeoff Gross Weight: 189,200 pounds (85,820 kilograms)
Speed: 490 knots (564 mi/h, 789 km/h)
Range:
1,200+ nautical miles, with 4 hours on station (1,381 miles, 2,222 kilometers)
Ceiling:
41,000 feet (12,496 meters)
Crew:
9
Boeing is using a first-in-industry
production process and its existing Next-Generation 737 production system to
efficiently design and build P-8 aircraft. The P-8’s 737-800 fuselage is built
in Wichita, Kan., and then sent to Boeing’s final assembly facility in Renton,
Wash., where all aircraft structural features unique to the P-8A are
incorporated in sequence during fabrication and assembly. Aircraft quality and
performance acceptance flight testing takes place at Renton Field and final
installation and checkout of the mission system and special flight test
instrumentation is conducted at Boeing Field.
The first test aircraft began U.S. Navy formal flight testing at Boeing Field
in late 2009 and ferried to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., on April 10,
2010, for completion of flight test. Six P-8A test aircraft currently are in
flight test. Boeing’s first production P-8A made its initial flight July 7,
2011 and was officially delivered to the Navy March 4, 2012. Boeing completed
the last if its LRIP-1 deliveries in January 2013
Background:
Boeing was awarded a $3.89 billion
contract for the system development and demonstration (SDD) phase of the
program on June 14, 2004. SDD activities include developing and integrating all
the necessary software and onboard mission systems and developing training
systems. The P-8A is expected to significantly transform how the Navy’s
maritime patrol and reconnaissance force will train, operate and deploy.
The initial SDD contract included building five test vehicles: three flight
test aircraft (T1, T2 and T3), one full-scale static test airframe and one
full-scale fatigue test airframe (S1 and S2). The contract included an option
for two additional test vehicles (T4 and T5), which has since been exercised.
One additional flight test aircraft (T6) also was added to the contract.
In November 2005 the Navy announced that the P-8A preliminary design review
(PDR) was the best major weapons system PDR it had ever reviewed. A successful
critical design review was completed in July 2007.
The team started production on the first test aircraft on Dec. 11, 2007, at
Spirit’s facility. Fuselage assemblies come together on Spirit’s existing
Next-Generation 737 production line. Spirit delivered the first fuselage to
Boeing in late March 2008 and final assembly of the aircraft began the same day
in Renton, Wash. The P-8A made its first flight on April 25, 2009. Full-scale
static testing of the P-8A’s airframe was completed in January 2011. The Navy
has surpassed 2,800 flight-test hours in the P-8A test aircraft.
Industry Partners:
Boeing and its industry partners
provide unrivaled expertise in both large-scale systems integration and network
centric operations, plus unquestioned leadership in developing and customizing
military and commercial products for maritime forces.
CFM International, a 50/50 joint company of Snecma Moteurs and General Electric
Company, provides the CFM56-7 engines that power the P-8A. The two engines each
provide 27,300 pounds of takeoff thrust. The CFM56-7 is one of the world’s most
reliable engines. This fleet of engines has logged more than 30 million flight
hours while maintaining an industry-leading .002 percent in-flight shut down
rate per 1,000 hours of flight.
Northrop Grumman’s Electronic Systems sector provides the directional infrared
countermeasures system, and the electronic support measures system. Northrop
Grumman’s Aerospace Systems sector develops data links for P-8A; the company’s
Integrated Systems sector supports the mission planning effort.
Raytheon provides the AN/APY-10 radar which delivers all weather, day/night
multi-mission maritime, littoral and overland surveillance capabilities.
Raytheon also provides the MK 54 lightweight torpedo.
GE Aviation supplies both the Flight Management and Stores Management systems
on the P-8A. The Flight Management System provides an integrated open
architecture that is CNS/ATM compatible along with an inherent growth path for
upgrades. The Stores Management System provides a comprehensive system for the
electronic control of integrated weapons management.
Spirit AeroSystems builds the 737 aircraft’s fuselage and airframe tail
sections and struts in Wichita, Kan. Spirit supplies large component parts and
assemblies for a number of Boeing commercial aircraft.
BAE Systems provides the mission computing and display system (MCDS), flight
deck panels and data diode.
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