Boeing, Kongsberg Partnership For Norway’s Future P-8A MPAs Support.

On June 18 2020, Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace AS and Boeing signed an agreement for P-8 maritime patrol aircraft maintenance and support, with the opportunity to create new jobs in Norway and to develop the local industry.
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The P-8 is a long-range multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations. (Picture source: US Navy Photography by Liz Wolter)

Boeing and KONGSBERG signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for P-8 maintenance and support.

"Over the past few years, Boeing has been active with Norwegian industry, which has demonstrated that they have a robust and highly capable defense sector that can support our business," said Maria Laine, Boeing Vice President, International Strategic Partnerships.

"The size, scope and strategic value of our collaboration opportunities reinforce our commitment to Norway, and our promises of industrial agreements," she says.

The comprehensive MoU agreement with KONGSBERG will be able to contain maintenance and support for the Norwegian P-8 fleet. This will entail a need for a new maintenance center for production and maintenance, as well as additional training in the aviation industry in Norway.

We are very pleased to extend our close cooperation with Boeing by including support for the Norwegian P-8 fleet, with the possibility of further expansion in the future. Collaboration with international platform suppliers is of strategic importance to KONGSBERG. It ensures continuity and preparedness in Norway, and gives KONGSBERG further export opportunities, says Terje Bråthen, division director at Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace AS.

Boeing and KONGSBERG's collaboration extends 20 years with NATO's fleet of AWACS aircraft, and will be able to be lifted further through the P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft that Norway acquired in 2017.

The P-8 is a long-range multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations. (Picture source: Kongsberg)

About the P-8 Poseidon:

The Boeing P-8 Poseidon (formerly Multimission Maritime Aircraft) is a military aircraft developed and produced by Boeing Defense, Space & Security, modified from the 737-800ERX. It was developed for the United States Navy (USN).

The P-8 is being operated in the anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), and shipping interdiction roles. It is armed with torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and other weapons, and is able to drop and monitor sonobuoys, as well as operate in conjunction with other assets, including the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

The P-8 is operated by the United States Navy, the Indian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF). It has also been ordered by the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF), the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), and the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN).