The US Navy has approved the start of low rate production of the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
The approval came after a review by the Defense Acquisition Board. “The airplane is performing very well in testing which should result in an on-time and on-budget delivery to the war fighters,” program manager Capt Mike Moran said in a release.
The Poseidon is expected to enter service with the US Navy in 2013, replacing that service’s P-3C Orions. The P-8 is also a likely partial replacement for the RAAF’s AP-3Cs, while the aircraft has also been sold to India.
