P8I aircraft will give Indian Navy maritime patrol edge: Boeing

The Boeing P8I maritime patrol aircraft the Indian Navy is on the verge of acquiring in a $2.2 billion deal will give it a marked edge in the Indian Ocean region and one that is comparable to its US counterpart, the aircraft’s manufacturer says.

“This will be the first time the Indian Navy will be able to operate a platform almost simultaneously with the US Navy,” Richard Buck, Boeing’s international programme manager for the P8, told a group of visiting Indian journalists at the company’s production facility here.

“Besides, India will be able to leverage on the substantial investment made in the P8 by the US Navy without having to pay for the development costs,” Buck said, adding that $4 billion had already been spent on the development of the aircraft.

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