Maritime patrol aircraft provide important advantages to the user in maritime area domination thanks to their large coverage and structures that allow rapid reaction terms.
The US Navy is replacing the P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft that have been on duty for many years and have a structural fatigue problem, with P-8 Poseidons. In this context, Boeing continues its deliveries rapidly despite the virus outbreak that has felt its impact in the USA. The company delivered its 100th P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to the Navy as part of its procurement process.
According to the company statement, the number of mission capable platforms in Navy inventory with the 100th aircraft reached to 94. The remaining six P-8s are reported to serve as test and evaluation aircraft. Within the P-8 program, the first aircraft was rolled out of the hangar on July 30, 2009, and the first platform in mass production standard was started to duty on March 6, 2012 in the Navy.
The platforms that the USA deployed in Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jacksonville) in Florida and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NAS Whidbey Island) in Washington were developed from Boeing 737 series commercial aircraft. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft, which has a 5,600 kg payload capacity is 79,000 kilograms. The P-8A Poseidons, which serve with nine crew members, can detect an object with a 1 squre metre cross-sectional area from 54 kilometres even under Sea State 3, thanks to the AN / APY-10 radar.
