Navy orders seven P-8A Poseidon advanced maritime patrol jets from Boeing in $1.4 billion contract

The U.S. Navy ordered seven P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine warfare (ASW) maritime patrol jets from the Boeing Co. in Seattle Thursday as Navy leaders continue their efforts to upgrade the service's long-rang ASW and maritime patrol capability by replacing the venerable P-3 Orion turboprop with P-8A -- a Navy version of the Boeing 737 passenger jetliner.

Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., awarded a $1.38 billion contract to Boeing to procure seven P-8A multi-mission maritime aircraft (MMA) under terms of an advanced acquisition low-rate initial production II contract. Boeing should complete work by January 2013. The Navy ordered six P-8As from Boeing last January in a $1.53 billion contract.

Ultimately, the Navy plans to buy 108 P-8A aircraft from Boeing to replace the service's fleet of 196 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft which are approaching the end of operational life. The P-3 is a version of the Lockheed Martin Electra four-engine turboprop aircraft.

Read more