P-8: A Proven Multi-Mission Maritime Patrol Aircraft

The Boeing P-8 is truly a multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft, excelling at anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and search and rescue. The P-8 can fly higher (up to 41,000 ft) and get to the fight faster (490 knots). Shorter transit times reduce the size of the Area of Probability when searching for submarines, surface vessels or search and rescue survivors. P-8 is also designed for low altitude missions and has already proven its abilities supporting humanitarian and search and rescue missions.

A proven system with more than 150 aircraft in service the P-8 has executed more than 450,000 mishap free flight-hours around the globe.

The P-8 has two variants: The P-8I, flown by the Indian Navy, and the P-8A Poseidon flown by the U.S. Navy, the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Norwegian Air Force.

Militaries that have selected the P-8 include the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Republic of Korea Navy and German Navy. The P-8’s performance and reliability delivers confidence in an uncertain world — in any condition, anywhere, anytime.

The P-8 combines the most advanced weapon system in the world with the cost advantages of the most operated commercial airliner on the planet. The P-8 shares 86% commonality with the commercial 737NG, providing enormous supply chain economies of scale in production and support. Boeing’s expertise in commercial fleet management and derivative aircraft sustainment provides customers with greater availability at a lower operational cost. The P-8 is engineered for 25 years/25,000 hours in the harshest maritime flight regimes, including extended operations in icing environments.

P-8 Gallery

P-8 Videos and Feature Stories

P-8 Objective and Capabilities

The P-8 is a true Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) offering surveillance and reconnaissance, long-range anti-submarine warfare capabilities and search and rescue.

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Journey from the U.S. to the UK

This is the journey that each P-8A Poseidon takes from the U.S. to the UK.

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Soaring through the air at Seattle’s Seafair

August 11, 2022 in Defense

Watch the Boeing P-8A Poseidon and KC-46A Pegasus perform during the 2022 Boeing Seafair Air Show

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New Zealand’s First Boeing P-8A Poseidon Rolls Out of Paint Shop

July 21, 2022 in Defense

Boeing debuted the first P-8A Poseidon aircraft for New Zealand in its Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) livery. New Zealand is one of eight nations to have acquired the P-8 as their new multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft.

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Boeing Delivers 150th P-8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft

July 7, 2022 in Defense

The newest Boeing P-8 maritime patrol, reconnaissance aircraft took to the skies over Puget Sound bringing the total number of P-8s delivered to 150. First deliveries to New Zealand, Korea and Germany scheduled for 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively.

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Boeing Teams with Canadian Industry to Offer P-8A Poseidon

June 1, 2022 in Defense

Boeing and several Canadian industry partners announced today their intent to collaborate to provide the capability and sustainability of the proven P-8A Poseidon for the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) requirement. P-8 offers proven, unmatched capability to defend Canada’s northern and maritime approaches.

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Germany P-8A plane over rough seas illustration

Boeing Awarded Contract for Five P-8A Aircraft for Germany

September 27, 2021 in Defense

The U.S. Navy today awarded Boeing [NYSE: BA] a production contract for five P-8A Poseidon aircraft for Germany. First deliveries are slated to begin in 2024 when the P-8A Poseidon will eventually replace Germany’s fleet of P-3C Orion aircraft.

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Norway’s First P-8A Poseidon Performs Maiden Flight

August 9, 2021 in Defense

The first of five Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft for Norway performed its maiden flight on Aug. 9. 2021.

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Atlantic Building at RAF Lossiemouth

Together with the UK Government, we’ve built a new strategic facility at RAF Lossimouth in Moray, Scotland.

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A behind-the-scenes look at how the P-8 is assembled and delivered in Puget Sound

The making of a P-8

December 11, 2020 in Defense

A behind-the-scenes look at how the P-8 is assembled and delivered in Puget Sound

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U.S. Navy receives its 100th 'sub hunter'

May 18, 2020 in defense

May 14, 2020, the U.S. Navy received its 100th P-8A aircraft from Boeing as the global fleet, which also includes the Indian navy and the Australian and U.K. air forces, approaches 300,000 flight hours of hunting submarines and providing aerial reconnaissance capabilities around the world.

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U.S. Navy awards $1.5 billion order for P-8A aircraft

May 18, 2020 in defense

March 30, 2020, the U.S. Navy awarded Boeing a $1.5 billion production contract for the next 18 P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The contract includes eight aircraft for the U.S. Navy, six aircraft for the Republic of Korea Navy and four aircraft for the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

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Boeing delivers first P-8A Poseidon to United Kingdom's Royal Air Force

November 11, 2019 in Defense

The U.K.s Royal Air Force received the first of nine P-8A Aircraft, slated to respond to “profound challenges” around the United Kingdom.

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First Boeing P-8A Poseidon for United Kingdom takes flight

July 23, 2019 in Defense

First of nine P-8A Poseidon aircraft completes assembly and makes its first flight. Next stop: addition of military systems.

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P-8 Social Media

P-8 Integrated Support

The P-8 provides high levels of fleet availability while reducing life-cycle cost. Our One Boeing solutions are leveraged for training, sustainment and service support. This included supply chain, global support, field service, data/tech publications, spares and repairs, modifications and retrofits.

Leveraging worldwide logistics, maintenance and training support systems, Boeing provides superior sustainment solutions to support the unparalleled capabilities of the P-8 aircraft.

Integrated Support
Global Supply Chain Infrastructure
Innovative Solutions

Designed to provide high levels of fleet availability while reducing life-cycle cost, Boeing’s P-8 support capabilities leverage commercial program solutions – including supply chain, global support, field service, data/tech publications, spares and repairs, modifications and retrofits – to offer tailored, affordable solutions.

By utilizing Boeing’s existing commercial supply chain infrastructure and maintenance, repair and overhaul service relationships, P-8 sustainment solutions offer reduced program costs and availability risks to enable fleet operational readiness. Joint support teams result in improved readiness through rapid issues resolution, reliability improvement and top degrader management.

Boeing’s expertise in derivative aircraft sustainment and commercial fleet management provides customers with greater availability at lower operating costs, and the availability to leverage the integration of Boeing’s commercial and defense aerospace capabilities.

P-8 Quick Facts and Product Card

P-8 Anti-Submarine Warfare
The P-8 executes anti-submarine warfare (ASW) through an integrated sensor suite to conduct search, detection, classification, localization, tracking and attack of submarines. The P-8 utilizes a state-of-the-art acoustics sensor suite, sonobuoys, electronic support measures (ESM), inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) and the delivery of torpedoes for sub-hunting.

P-8 Anti-Surface Warfare
The P-8 executes antisurface warfare (ASuW) through elegant communications and data link systems. This integrated sensor suite conducts search, detection, classification, localization, tracking and attack of naval surface targets, utilizing ESM and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and delivering of Harpoon missiles.

P-8 Maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)
The P-8 accomplishes maritime ISR through a proven sensor suite of radar with ISAR, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), periscope, search and navigation. These systems are optimized for combat ready maritime patrol in detecting, locating and tracking surface and undersea targets.

Overland ISR
The P-8 has the proven capability to effectively conduct overland ISR and battle space control (C2) of land forces using its advanced mission system, data link and electro-optical/infrared sensor suite.

Military Operations Communications
The P-8 has a full complement of radio frequency communications via Link 11 and 16 to support coordination of operations. This includes wideband satellite communications with ground stations that enable interoperability with allies and partner nations.

Search and Rescue
With its advanced sensors and long endurance, further enhanced by in-flight refueling, the P-8 can search and deliver rescue stores in large ocean and overland areas quickly at high and low altitudes. This includes the carriage and release of the UNI-PAC search and rescue survival kit.

P-8 Multimission Maritime Aircraft
With surveillance and reconnaissance, search and rescue, and long-range anti-submarine capabilities, the P-8 is the most capable multimission aircraft deployed around the world, protecting seas and securing borders. A proven system with more than 100 aircraft in service and over 450,000 flight hours. The P-8’s performance and reliability delivers confidence in an uncertain world — in any condition, anywhere, anytime.

The P-8 combines the most advanced weapon system in the world with the cost advantages of the most popular airliner on the planet. The P-8 shares 86% commonality with the commercial 737NG, providing enormous supply chain economies of scale in production and support. Boeing’s expertise in commercial fleet management and derivative aircraft sustainment provides customers with greater availability at a lower operational cost.

P-8 Superior Performance

Technical Specifications

Wingspan	123.6 ft	37.64 m
Height	42.1 ft	12.83 m
Length	129.6 ft	39.50 m
Propulsion thrust, each	CFM-56-7BE (2) 27,300 lb	121.4 kN
Max speed	490 kt 564 mi/h	459+ ktas 907 km/h
Ceiling	41,000 ft	12,496 m
MGTW	189,200 lb	85,820 kg
Range	1,200+ nm >4 hr time on station, 2,225+ km
Weapon stores compatibility	129 A-size sonobuoys Harpoon MK-54 Survival kit

P-8 Customers

The United States Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force and the UK’s Royal Air Force currently fly the P-8A Poseidon variant; the Indian Navy flies the P-8I variant. The Royal Norwegian Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the Republic of Korea Navy and German Navy have also selected the P-8A as their future maritime patrol aircraft.