Boeing Plans Upgrades (Increments) for P-8

Boeing’s P-8 POSIEDON has already been deployed globally (eight P-8A delivered) and operational with the US Navy (USN). According to Boeing, the company has saved $2.1 billion by comparison to the USN original calculation. Until now, 13 aircrafts have been delivered to the USN. Boeing is moving to full rate production now. The P-8A is the first military aircraft with an industry in-line production, according to Boeing. The P-8A is based on the civilian B-737-800ERX (-900 wings) aircraft (80% commonality to be a cost effective solution). It got a reinforced structure to carry the heavier load, has a weapon bay and is able to fly very low over water. P-8 offers 200ft³ of space with 25% cooling and 67% power growth potential for the future. It has an air refueling option, an extra generator (for future growth). As a USN requirement there is also a deicing capability (wings, tail and rubber nose with spinning radar underneath). It can conduct missions as anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), shipping interdiction (armed ISR), maritime C3, electronic signals intelligence (ELINT) and Search & Rescue (SAR). One of the USN P-8A took part in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 3MH70.

Over the next 8-10 years there are already some upgrades (increments) planned. Increment 2 (2016) should bring multi-static active coherent acoustics, automated Identification System (AIS) and high altitude ASW weapon capability (HAAWC). Increment 2 is planned to start with Lot 5. Increment 3 (2021) should offer Software Architecture Improvements, Software Enabled to Host Generic Apps, Enables 3rd Party Competitive Prototyping, ASW Upgrades, Network Enabled Weapon and Additional Sensor Upgrades.

A “normal” tactical crew is nine (2 pilots, 1 relief pilot, 2 tactical officer and 3 enlisted operators and 1 relief operator), at board there is space for 21 persons, so two crews or more can be taken aboard. A normal configuration is two observer seats and five operator stations (all sensors can be worked from here) with a sixed station prepared. For communications P-8a has SatCom, VHF, UHF, HF and a steerable Line-of-Sight antennas and radios as well as IR counter measure (DIRCM).

P-8A can use HARPOON & Mk 54 torpedo (not high altitude release) as weapons. The weapon bus is digital and offers other configurations, for example India will use other weapons and more can be integrated later. The P-8A has a weapon bay with five stations (for torpedos) and four stations (each 1,500 lbs) under wings. 126 sonar boys are in stock on board with three pressurized rotary launcher and two single launchers. In addition there is a extra hatch to drop smaller equipment. The aft door can be opened during flight to drop frogmans, Paras or equipment. For a future sensor growth there is also a second bay for another EO/IR gimbal. The P-8 can operate at every altitude up to 21,000 feet.

The first LRIP-3 aircraft (for 11 aircrafts) will be delivered to the USN in July. The second squadron is preparing to get its P-8s later this summer. “This is a super aircraft. Within just three months of arriving for its first-ever deployment, it's already a huge leap forward in capability for the Pacific Fleet,” said Admiral Harry Harris, US Pacific Fleet Commander.

International Success

India ordered eight P-8I (India) NEPTUNE with an option for another four. The P-8I variant features two major components that aren't fitted on the P-8A, a Telephonics APS-143 OceanEye aft radar and a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD).

Australia signed an MOU with USN in 2009 to collaborate in Increment 2. The ordered in Feb 2014 eight P-8 with an option for another four to replace their P-3 ORION in 2017/18.

There are discussions with the UK MoD for a possible procurement. Another possible customer is Norway, at the moment a number of countries are doing studies in that area and could need the capabilities P-8 is offering. 24 aircrafts could be produced by Boeing per year, at the moment one is delivered each month.

On the P-8 team are Boeing, NAVAIR, General Electric, Northrop Grumman (P-8A is designed to operate in conjunction with the MQ-4C TRITON Broad Area Maritime Surveillance UAV), Spirit Aerosystems, Raytheon, BAE Systems and cfm.

Andre Forkert