UK decides against P-8A(Or not)

The UK MoD has apparently shelved plans to buy up to 9 P-8A aircraft from Boeing citing cost as a factor. The deal was expected to be announced in the defense review paper due this month.

This could be seen as a boost for Kawasaki, who showed their P-1 aircraft in the UK this summer as a possible alternative.

www.thesundaytimes.co.uk...

Would there be any big disadvantage if we went for the P-1 instead of thr P-8A?

a reply to: crazyewok

Possibly reliability and support issues, but as far as the aircraft themselves probably not.

Hmm, as much as I love the Sunday Times for it's accurate reporting of issues. Maybe better to wait for the SDR.

Although I can see the P8 being a little rich for the UK, we need to remember that it's a developed product and the UK's supply chain could handle it nicely.

The P1 is a still in development project, so that not going to happen.

So what's left of the table the Sea-Sential or Drone the first would have to call for help if something need to go away, or the drone option well it's a good job ships are slow :-)

RAB

a reply to: crazyewok

They might still end up with P-8's. It could be just games to get Boeing to negotiate on price.
If Boeing doesn't bite then there is always an alternative in the P-1. Albeit a not as easy to integrate and an unknown alternative but one non the less and I'll bet the UK is playing that possibility to it's advantage against Boeing all they can.

www.flightglobal.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Seams like it is coming down to a game of chicken between Boeing and the MoD. Boeing knows how bad the UK needs a mature platform with the capabilities it needs and the P-8 is the only game in town for that right now.

a reply to: Sammamishman

I'd not be surprised to see Lockhead pushing a palletised maritime patrol mission kit for the C130. There's already the maintenance knowledge and supply chain in place, and the upcoming modifications for the Sentinel to help with some of the capability cap.

a reply to: Donkey09

Meet the SC-130J Sea Herc

a reply to: Donkey09

I think the UK is thinking in terms of what can they get right now. Both of those systems, the SC-130J and the upgrades to the Sentinel are either in development or some time away. They seamed to be in a hurry for the capability and the P-8 is still the only current system that fills their needs and has an operational track record.
The article Zaph linked made mention that some are suggesting opening up a new competition but that comp. would have to be settled "extremely quick".

a reply to: Sammamishman

There's more to this than is being said. The Navy has been singing the praises of the aircraft, and Boeing has been using that to their advantage, but the DOT&E reports show that they're not as ready or as capable as the Navy wants you to think yet.

a reply to: Sammamishman

It's typical of MOD procurement. They cut the capability on the grounds of cost saving then realise it's an urgent requirement and spend twice as much getting it back. How much is the P8 modified to fit he UK requirements going to cost over and above the "off the shelf" version. Westland did great work on the Apache for the "hot and high" environment and to Ukify it but it cost a fortune.

Why any review of the UK defence requirements would conclude an island nation wouldn't and didn't need a maritime patrol/ASW airborne capability is beyond me and pretty worrying.

a reply to: Zaphod58

It seems the Ministry of Defense has changed their collective mind. The Prime Minister's Office announced the procurement of 9 P-8s

a reply to: anzha

Boeing may have sweetened the deal.

The Kawasaki is a nice air frame it seems and they will have to by something as their maritime/ASW assets are sucky to say the least. I wonder if there is any interest in a P-3 fleet?

a reply to: FredT

There are opportunities for the Kawasaki. Japan is giving the Philippines a low interest loan. They are looking at some kind of patrol aircraft. Vietnam is interested in Western aircraft now, including possibly P-3s or other aircraft.

a reply to: anzha

At least on the surface it appears, Boeing - 1, MoD - 0.

Would need mods as our sonor buoys and torpedo's and missiles are different, of course could just buy US weapons.

Not sure What you mean spending twice as much to get it back, Nimrod would never have gotten into service as it would never get an airworthiness certificate because the design was wrong and no amount of adding control services to the horizontal stabilisers would change that.

Boeing was providing the smarts inside Nimrod to a UK spec and AFAIK that's what is in P-8 to some extent so perhaps some royalties will come back?

I think a UAV (think Broad Area Maritime Surveillance type) would be a future force multiplier we may consider too.

Seems official:

www.gov.uk...