Boeing delivers 7th production P-8A Poseidon aircraft to U.S. Navy

Boeing handed over the seventh production P-8A Poseidon to the U.S. Navy on schedule March 29th, marking the first delivery from the second low-rate initial production contract awarded in November 2011. The maritime patrol aircraft departed Boeing Field in Seattle for Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., where it joined six P-8As currently being used to train Navy crews. Boeing is on contract to build and support 24 P-8A aircraft as part of three LRIP contracts awarded in 2011 and 2012. The Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8As, which are based on the Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 platform. The versatile multi-mission aircraft provides broad long-range maritime patrol capabilities – anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance – and will replace the Navy P-3 fleet.