The first Boeing P-8I for the Indian Navy made its first flight on September 28.
The two hour, 31 minute test flight took off from Renton and landed at Boeing Field in Seattle, and saw the aircraft reach an altitude of 41,000ft.
“Flying the first P-8 for an international customer is a key milestone for our entire team,” said Leland Wight, Boeing P-8I program manager. “We have transitioned to P-8I production, and remain on track to deliver the first aircraft to the Indian Navy in 2013.”
Mission systems will be installed in the aircraft “in coming weeks”, Boeing says.
India has eight P-8Is on order, and has options for an additional four, for delivery from 2013 to replace Tu-142 maritime patrol aircraft. The P-8I differs from the US Navy’s P-8A Poseidon in having a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) boom and different sensors.
