Indian
Navy Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft Begins Flight Test Program
Boeing's
first P-8I aircraft for the Indian Navy began its official flight test
program July 7, taking off from Boeing Field in Seattle at 9:15 a.m.
and landing three hours and 49 minutes later after demonstrating flying
qualities and handling characteristics. The flight went as planned with
all test objectives met.
The P-8I is one of eight long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine
warfare aircraft Boeing is building for India as part of a contract
awarded in January 2009. During the coming months, Boeing test pilots
will put the P-8I, a Next-Generation 737-800 derivative, through its
paces over a U.S. Navy test range west of Neah Bay, Wash., and a joint
U.S./Canadian test range in the Strait of Georgia.
Indian Navy
P-8I takes off from Renton Field for its first flight
(Archive picture: Boeing)
"Today's flight
is another on-time milestone for the program," said Leland Wight,
Boeing P-8I program manager. "We'll start out testing the P-8I's
mission system, which includes its sensors and communication systems.
The team then will transition to 'stores' tests during which the P-8I
will carry inert weapon shapes under its wings to demonstrate that the
aircraft is capable of carrying all the weapons the Indian Navy will use
during regular missions."
The stores the P-8I will carry will have the identical shape and size
of real weapons, including the Harpoon anti-ship missile, depth bombs
and torpedoes.
Indian Navy
P-8I during its first flight
(Archive picture: Boeing)
"This is an important
milestone for the program and sets the stage for operational testing and
weapons certification as we move closer to P-8I aircraft joining the Indian
Navy," said Rear Adm. DM Sudan, assistant chief of Naval Staff (Air),
Indian Navy.
P-8I flight and weapons testing follows on the heels of similar testing
for the U.S. Navy's P-8A Poseidon. P-8I is a variant of the Poseidon.
In order to efficiently design and build the P-8I and the P-8A, the Boeing-led
team is using a first-in-industry, in-line production process that draws
on the company's Next-Generation 737 production system. Assembly is complete
on the second P-8I aircraft and it will make its first flight in the coming
weeks.
The
P-8I features open system architecture, advanced sensor and display
technologies, and a worldwide base of suppliers, parts and support equipment.
P-8I aircraft are built by a Boeing-led industry team that includes
CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE
Systems and GE Aviation.
The Boeing-led team is on track to deliver the first aircraft to the
Indian Navy in 2013.
