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P-8 Poseidon
A rendering of a P-8A, showing the additional antennas and underwing pylons, and aerial refueling guides in detail.
Type	ASW/ASuW
Manufacturer	Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
Maiden flight	2009 (Projected)
Introduced	2013 (Projected)
Primary user	United States Navy
Developed from	Boeing 737

The P-8 Poseidon (formerly the Multimission Maritime Aircraft or MMA) is a military aircraft currently being developed for the United States Navy. It is intended to conduct anti-submarine warfare, shipping interdiction, and to engage in an electronic intelligence (ELINT) role. This will involve carrying torpedoes, depth charges, Harpoon anti-shipping missiles, and other weapons. It will also be able to drop and monitor sonobuoys. It is designed to operate in conjunction with the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle. The P-8 is to be built by Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems division from the 737-800.

Contents 1 Development 2 Foreign involvement 3 Specifications 4 References 5 External links 6 Related content 6.1 Related development 6.2 Comparable aircraft 6.3 Related lists

The P-8's predecessor, the Lockheed P-3 Orion ASW aircraft has been in service with the U.S. Navy since 1961. In the mid-1980s the Navy began studies for a replacement aircraft for the P-3 which has lost range/time on station capabilities due to increasing weight and is approaching the end of its fatigue life. The Navy specification also required reduced operating and support costs. In 1989 the Navy awarded a fixed-price contract to Lockheed to design and build two prototype aircraft, to be designated the P-7. This project was canceled in 1990 following a $300 million cost overrun by Lockheed and resulting delays.

Boeing and Lockheed Martin were part of a new competition for a replacement aircraft begun in 2000. Lockheed submitted the Orion 21, an updated, but new-build, version of the P-3 turboprop, based upon the Electra airliner, and Boeing submitted a proposal centered around their 737-800ERX airliner. BAE Systems offered a new build version of the Nimrod, the UK's jet powered maritime patrol aircraft since 1969. However, BAE withdrew from the competition in October 2002, recognizing the political reality that the failure to find a US-based production partner made the bid unrealistic.^[1]

On June 14, 2004, Boeing won the competition.^[2] Initial operating capability is expected to be 2013. The project is expected to be for at least 108 airframes for the U.S. Navy alone, and perhaps more to other nations operating over 200 P-3s. Project value is expected to be worth at least $15 billion, or as much as $45 billion. Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Spirit AeroSystems, Smiths Aerospace, Marshall Aerospace, CFMI, BAE, and Marotta are subcontractors.

The P-8 will be based upon a similar but larger airframe variant of the C-40 Clipper and T-43; it is the first militarized variant of the -800 series 737. The aircraft is designated P-8, which is the next in series from the aborted P-7 project. The P-8 is unique in that it has 767-400ER-style raked wingtips, instead of the blended winglets available on other 737NG variants.^[3] It also includes 6 additional body fuel tanks, three in the forward cargo compartment and three in the rear, for extended range. These are manufactured by Marshall Aerospace in Cambridge, UK.

The U.S. Navy placed an order for five MMA aircraft on July 8, 2004. The first flight test aircraft is scheduled for delivery in 2009. The first aircraft will be a test aircraft, and will be converted to production standards at a later date.

In U.S. service the MMA will be complemented by the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance UAV system, which will provide continuous surveillance. The system is expected to enter service around the end of the decade. Around 40 UAVs will be based at five sites — Hawaii; Diego Garcia; NAS Jacksonville, Florida; NAS Kadena, Japan and Sigonella, Italy. As of 2005, the Global Hawk, the Mariner and Predator UAVs are being considered for the role.^[4]

Due to the cancellation of Lockheed Martin's Aerial Common Sensor project, Boeing will propose a signals intelligence variant of the P-8 to service the requirement for the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy.^[5]

The U.S. Department of Defense wants to follow a program template similar to that of the Joint Strike Fighter program, with international cooperation from prospective MMA users.^{[citation needed]} This would include many of the fifteen nations that currently use the P-3. The MMA project should avoid one of the major problems of the JSF, that of technology transfer.^{[citation needed]} The MMA, while incorporating much high technology, would not include such proprietary and sensitive characteristics as stealth technology. Of all the JSF partners only the UK is enjoying significant technology transfer, and even this is limited.^{[citation needed]}

The Australian Minister for Defence announced on 20 July 2007 that the P-8A MMA had been selected as the preferred aircraft to replace the Royal Australian Air Force's fleet of AP-3C Orions in conjunction with a yet to be selected unmanned aerial vehicle. The last RAAF AP-3C is scheduled to be retired in 2018, after nearly 30 years of service.^[6]

Italy has been strongly tipped for a purchase of a total of 14 Wedgetail and MMA aircraft, with fleet support provided by Alitalia.^[7] Canada, Italy and Australia may each pay up to $300 million in order to have first-tier participation in the MMA project.^[8] This may or may not involve workshare agreements. However, with Boeing Australia already participating in the related Wedgetail development, some level of offset seems likely.^{[citation needed]} Boeing has also proposed the P-8A to the Indian Navy (designated P-8I), to replace that service's Il-38 'May' platform.^{[citation needed]}

Data from US Navy Fact File - P-8A ^[9] and Boeing P-8A Specifications ^[10]

General characteristics

• Crew: Flight:2 Mission:7
• Length: 129 ft 6 in (39.47 m)
• Wingspan: 117 ft 2 in (35.72 m)
• Height: 42 ft 1 in (12.83 m)
• Empty weight: 138,300 lb (62,730 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 188,200 lb (85,370 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× CFM International CFM56-7B, 27,000 lbf (120 kN) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 490 kts (907 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 440 kts (815 km/h)
• Service ceiling: 41,000 ft (12,500 m)

Armament

Joint missiles, Mines and Torpedoes

Avionics

Raytheon APY-10 (APS-137 follow-on) surface search radar and SIGINT package

• U.S. Navy official MMA site
• P-8 page on Boeing.com
• Navy News announcement
• MMA Page on Globalsecurity.org
• Australian Minister for Defence Media Release
• Tacoma News Tribune article on Boeing's project

• Boeing 737
• Boeing 737 AEW&C
• C-40 Clipper

• P-3 Orion
• Hawker Siddeley Nimrod
• Kawasaki P-1

Designation sequence

• P-5 - P-6 - P-7 - P-8

• List of active United States military aircraft

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