Spirit begins production of the Royal Australian Air Force's first P-8A

Spirit AeroSystems has begun production of the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) first production P-8A aircraft. Spirit started production on the 737 military derivative in October. With major assembly now underway, the first unit is scheduled to deliver to Boeing in early 2016. The P-8A program is using a first-in-industry production process and its existing Next-Generation 737 production system to efficiently design and build P-8 aircraft. Spirit is responsible for building 70% of the 737 aircraft. The 737-800 fuselage receives military specific in-line modifications before it is 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. Australia has agreed to purchase eight P-8A aircraft.