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. Team Poseidon, consisting of CAE, GE Aviation Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defence, KF Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace Canada and Raytheon Canada, forms the cornerstone of a Canadian P-8 industrial footprint. The team builds on 81 Canadian suppliers to the platform and to more than 550 Canadian suppliers across all provinces contributing to Boeing’s annual CAD $5.3 billion in economic benefit to Canada, supporting more than 20,000 Canadian jobs. The Boeing P-8A is a proven military off-the-shelf solution with nearly 150 aircraft delivered to five nations to date. The P-8 will improve Canada’s capability to defend its northern and maritime borders while ensuring interoperability with NORAD and NATO allies. As a leading platform for reducing the environmental impact of military aircraft, the P-8 can operate on a 50% blend of sustainable aviation fuel today with aspirations to move toward 100% with investment in new technology.
“The P-8A Poseidon offers a unique opportunity for the Royal Canadian Air Force today in that all of the development costs have been paid by other P-8 customers. By its non-developmental nature, P-8 offers an affordable solution that will defend and protect Canadian security for future generations. With Canada at the forefront of cleaning and greening, it’s fitting that Team Poseidon is elevating long-term environmental sustainability as an integral part of national defence,” said Sean Liedman, director of International Business Development for Mobility & Surveillance aircraft, Boeing Defense, Space & Security.
“As a dedicated partner of Canadian industry for more than a century, Boeing is proud to bring together a world-class team of companies in support of our P-8 offering to Canada,” said Heidi Grant, president, Business Development, Boeing Defense, Space & Security and Government Services. “Together, we will bolster Canada’s aerospace and defense industry through a 100% Industrial and Technical Benefits commitment if awarded the CMMA contract.”
The P-8A Poseidon offers advanced anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and search and rescue capability, and is the only in-service, in-production multi-mission aircraft that meets all CMMA requirements. The P-8 also has the added distinction of strengthening the connection between national security and environmental stewardship. Having executed more than 450,000 collective mishap free flight-hours, the P-8A Poseidon has proven its capability to operate around the globe in the harshest flight regimes including extended operations in extreme cold weather and icing environments. Current Boeing P-8 customers include the US Navy, Indian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Norwegian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Republic of Korea Navy and Germany Navy. Built on the proven 737 Next-Generation airframe, P-8’s 86% commonality with more than 4,000 in-service 737NGs delivers lower life-cycle sustainment costs due to large economies of scale.
The P-8 is a militarized version of the 737-800ERX, a 737-800 with 737-900-based wings. The fuselage is similar to, but longer than, the 737-700-based C-40 Clipper transport aircraft in service with the USN. The P-8 has a strengthened fuselage for low-altitude operations and raked wingtips similar to those fitted to the Boeing 767-400ER, instead of the blended winglets available on 737NG variants. The P-8 features the Raytheon APY-10 multi-mission surface search radar;[41] the P-8I features an international version of the APY-10. arious sensor data are combined via data fusion software to track targets. The five operator stations are mounted in a sideways row, along the port side of the cabin. None of the crew stations have windows; a single observer window is located on each side of the forward cabin.[39] A short bomb bay for torpedoes and other stores opens behind the wing. The P-8 is to be equipped with the High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC) Air Launch Accessory (ALA), turning a Mark 54 torpedo into a glide bomb for deploying from up to 30,000 ft (9,100 m).
