The U.S. Navy has awarded Boeing a $3.4 billion contract to begin manufacturing 14 P-8A Poseidon aircraft for the Royal Canadian Air Force and three additional P-8s for the German Navy.
“We are proud to add Canada to the list of international P-8 partners as well as to Germany’s fleet of maritime patrol aircraft,” said Philip June, vice president and program manager, P-8A program.
“The Poseidon is a proven aircraft, with more than 600,000 flight hours, that will serve Canada and Germany well in today’s challenging security environment and for decades to come.”
In November 2023, Canada announced its decision to acquire the P-8A Poseidon to replace its current fleet of CP-140 Auroras. The first P-8A for Canada is expected to deliver in 2026.
“With the P-8 acquisition, Boeing’s economic commitments to Canada have the potential to generate annual benefits of more than 3,000 jobs for Canadian industry and value-chain partners, and at least $358 million to Canada’s gross domestic product over a 10-year period.
Canada’s Team Poseidon includes CAE, GE Aviation Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defence, KF Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace Canada, Raytheon Canada, and StandardAero. The team builds on 81 Canadian suppliers to the P-8 platform and more than 550 suppliers across all provinces contributing to Boeing’s annual ~CAD $4 billion in economic benefit to Canada, supporting more than 14,000 Canadian jobs.”
Following the initial procurement of five P-8 aircraft in June 2021, Germany added three additional aircraft to bring the total number of P-8s for the German Navy to eight. The first aircraft will be delivered in 2025, to replace the country’s fleet of P-3 Orions.
There are 200 P-8s currently in service or on contract across nine countries including the United States, Australia, India, United Kingdom, Norway, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Germany and Canada.
And a few more for the UK would be more than welcome and dearly needed. DOUBLE the UK Fleet numbers of P8’s and E7’s too then we will have some weight of numbers to add to the NATO pot.
Just before Nimrod was axed, the RAF was down to 11. We got by with that, though there were no wars in Ukraine or Gaza then. According to this article, ne P-8 cost $200m. With public finances tight, we might get 2 more to make 11, but I doubt any more money could be spared for more. There are too many other (defence) holes that need filling.
Its not the cost of the purchase which is the biggest spend its the the through life cost. i.e maintenance, spares, crew and ground support. The cost of buying a platform is second to the cost of operating for 10/15/20 years plus. That all has to be factored into the annual budgets.
Angus, I could be wrong but I seem to recall the RAF were initially seeking a fleet of 12 P8s
Although we only have nine , the Norwegian and German ones will also cover the North Sea so the combination is quite a lot
Pickpocket others always the UK this days. UK defence no longer is thought of as a sovereign thing. When real war starts you are on your own !
Wouldnt be surprised if tempest is scrapped too doesn’t give much hope does it
I very much doubt Tempest will be scrapped, we’ve spent 2 billion on it.
What might happen is that we either don’t order very many or they come in very late.
We win them when we’re on our own
North Sea? How about the North/South Atlantic and other area’s the UK operates, World Power was the word from the Government but failed to provide the assets to make it so……… Once proud and World beating services are long gone, but where does all the dosh go?????????
This lot haven’t a clue and have trashed Global Britain before we even started. Our place is being taken by Brasil, India and others.
We used to build aircraft remember them?
AHH brilliant thanks again UK gov what a brilliant steaming pile of shit this will be. Entire world is looking to dump 737s but no we will have them just renamed 🤦🏻,
Apart from the smiling loon Hunt and his less money for defence budget; we need more of everything to counter the neo-imperialist Russia and an invasion by others.