Photo: NAVAIR U.S. Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft has entered the full-rate production (FRP) ph...
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| Photo: NAVAIR |
The P-8A’s current configuration, Increment 1, features persistent armed anti-submarine warfare (ASW), an integrated sensor suite, and significant improvement in situational awareness. Increment 2 will consist of multi-static active coherent acoustics, automated identification system, and high-altitude ASW weapon capability. Initial operational capability (IOC) for Increment 2, is scheduled for 2016.
According to a Bloomberg report, Michael Gilmore, chief of the Pentagon testing office, has found the aircraft ineffective for hunting submarines or performing reconnaissance over large areas due to a number of major deficiencies in plane’s radar performance, sensor integration and data transfer in a yet to be released annual report. 117 P-8As will replace the ageing US Navy fleet of Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion as a long-range lottoral and maritime anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.
The P-8A is based on Next-Generation Boeing 737 commercial airliner. The aircraft has a maximum speed of 490 knots, a ceiling of 41,000 feet, and provides a range of more than 1,200 nautical miles with four hours on station.
The P-8A is capable of delivering a number of weapons, including MK-54 torpedoes and Harpoon missiles. The multipurpose P-8A offers the joint, combined or naval operational commander a potent weapons platform with a rapid response time for worldwide employment. P-8A achieved Initial Operational Capabilities (IOC) in November 2013, and Full Operational Capabilities (FOC) is expected in 2018.
