Navy to declare Boeing's P-8A spy plane ready for use

(Reuters) - The U.S. Navy is expected to announce on Wednesday that Boeing Co's P-8A aircraft, a long-range maritime surveillance plane based on the company's 737 airliner, is ready for initial operational use, sources familiar with the program said.

The Navy plans to buy 117 of the new anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare planes to replace its P-3 spy planes built by Lockheed Martin Corp.

Reuters

Well, this has been a long time coming, but it sounds like the P-8 is ready for squadron deployment. Not sure if I would call it a "spy" plane, though. I remember watching the P-3s fly over in the early 80's and thinking "Those things look ancient!"

Boeing says the new aircraft will provide more combat capability for the Navy using a smaller force and less infrastructure than the P-3s. The P-8As have an extended global reach, greater payload capacity, higher operating altitude, and an open systems architecture that make it easier to implement future upgrades.

Sounds good. An early christmas present for the Navy!

Chinese navy shows off its nuclear sub fleet.

USA shows off its new line of anti-everything aircraft.


Hmmmmmm, propaganda war anyone?
Regardless I'm worried about the real one.

reply to post by Biigs


The P-8 has been in development and testing for years now. They actually announced IOC would be achieved and the first deployment would take place by the end of the year several months ago.

reply to post by Biigs


All militaries like to bang on their chest, don't they? But there is a HUGE difference between " This is what we dream of doing in our wildest wet dreams" and a tested and accepted platform reaching deployment stage.

reply to post by Biigs


No offense but haven't we heard this all before? Threat from the East.

Seem to remember the US worrying everyone into protecting them from a perceived USSR threat, which it was recently admitted was not really a fact, more an excuse for arms manufactures to make hay.

Oh well.

Dont you sense the increase in military developments making it to news sources?

They dont let that stuff go unless they are: proud and confident, Liars and scared or simply trying to keep up (NK).

I remember watching the P-3s fly over in the early 80's and thinking "Those things look ancient!"

The P-8's look way cooler too.

reply to post by Sammamishman


Personally I think the Wedgetail looks cooler.

reply to post by Zaphod58


I've seen one of the RAAF Wedge Tail's sitting at Boeing field a few times. Pretty hard to miss out there.

reply to post by Sammamishman


There's a Turkish one out there, along with Indian P-8s.