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The P-8I features open system architecture,
advanced sensor and display technologies, and
a worldwide base of suppliers, parts and support
equipment, according to Boeing which is building
eight of them for India.
The first P-8I was delivered to India in May.
Based on Boeing's Next-Generation 737 commercial
airplane, the P-8I is the Indian Navy variant
of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing has developed
for the US Navy.
"With two aircraft at Naval Station Rajali
now, the Indian Navy will get a good feel for
the P-8I's interoperability with other aircraft,"
said Leland Wight, Boeing P-8I programme manager
in Seattle, Washington.
"Acceptance trials on the first aircraft
are progressing well and its availability for
testing has been excellent, in large part due
to Boeing's worldwide 737 support capabilities."
While the aircraft delivered mid-November will
begin flight trials in the coming months, the
first P-8I recently completed testing its weapons
capabilities, including successfully firing a
Boeing Harpoon missile at a target and dropping
a torpedo, Boeing said.
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 are built by a Boeing-led industry
team that includes CFM International, Northrop
Grumman, Raytheon, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems
and GE Aviation.
St. Louis, Missouri, headquartered Boeing Defence,
Space & Security, a unit of the Boeing Company
said it offers India a broad spectrum of defence,
space and security solutions that are relevant
to India's current and future military and humanitarian
needs.
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