Boeing Delivers Sixth P-8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft To India

By M.Saraswathi NEW DELHI (India), Nov 26 (Bernama) -- Boeing delivered the sixth P-8I maritime patrol aircraft on schedule to India on Nov 24, arriving at the Naval Air Station Rajali to join five others being used by the Indian navy. The P-8I is part of a contract of eight awarded in 2009. The final two deliveries are scheduled for 2015. "The P-8I's arrival in India is another key milestone for the programme and marks our final delivery of the year," said Vice-President Boeing Defence, Space & Security in India Dennis Swanson in a statement from Seattle. "The Indian Navy is currently conducting missions with the first five aircraft and this newest P-8I will begin flight trials in the coming months." Based on the company’s Next-Generation 737 commercial airplane, the P-8I is the Indian Navy variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing builds for the US navy. The P-8I incorporates not only India-unique design features but also Indian-built sub-systems that are tailored to meet the country's maritime patrol requirements, said Boeing. The P-8I features open systems architecture, advanced sensor and display technologies and a worldwide base of suppliers, parts and support equipment. "We have a great partnership with India, which has helped us keep the programme on schedule and on budget," said Boeing P-8 International Programme Manager Mark Jordan. In order to efficiently design and build the P-8I and the P-8A, the Boeing-led team is using a first-in-industry, in-line production process that draws on the company’s Next-Generation 737 production system. P-8I aircraft is built by a Boeing-led industry team that includes CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems and GE Aviation. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defence, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defence, space and security businesses specialising in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. --BERNAMA