The
U.S. Navy on Sept. 21 awarded Boeing a $1.9 billion contract for 11
P-8A Poseidon aircraft, which will take the total fleet to 24 and bolster
the service's anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare and intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
This third low-rate initial production award follows two last year that
totaled 13 aircraft. Boeing has delivered three of the production P-8As,
which are based on the company's Next-Generation 737-800 commercial
airplane, and the Navy plans to purchase 117 to replace its P-3 fleet.
"This contract is a stepping stone to full-rate production,
and our focus remains on building Poseidon on cost and on schedule,"
said Chuck Dabundo, Boeing vice president and P-8 program manager.
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"It has been an exciting and productive year
for the P-8A program," said Capt. Aaron Rondeau, P-8A deputy program
manager for the Navy. "The fleet operators in Jacksonville are
excited to have received their first three aircraft and look forward
to the next delivery as they transition from the P-3 to the first P-8
fleet squadron."
Boeing assembles the P-8A aircraft in he same facility where it builds
all its 737 aircraft. The Poseidon team uses a first-in-industry in-line
production process that draws on Boeing's Next-Generation 737 production
system. All P-8A-unique modifications are made in sequence during fabrication
and assembly.
After assembly, the aircraft enter Boeing's mission system installation
and checkout facility for final modifications.
The Boeing-led team also has built and is testing six flight-test and
two ground-test aircraft under a Navy System Development and Demonstration
contract awarded in 2004. The test aircraft have completed more than
600 sorties and 2,500 flight hours to date.
Boeing's industry team includes CFM International, Northrop Grumman,
Raytheon, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems and GE Aviation.
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