India Receives P-8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft

India has taken on-site delivery of its first P-8I maritime patrol aircraft in Seattle following the completion of assembly by Boeing. This is the first of eight aircraft Boeing will deliver for the Indian Navy under a contract signed in 2009.

According to Boeing, India will receive this aircraft and two more of its eight contracted P-8Is in 2013. The programme is progressing on schedule as Boeing assembles the fourth and fifth P-8Is.

The P-8I is a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations. The P-8I is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing is developing for the US Navy.

The Indian Navy is the first international customer for the P-8. Deliveries are scheduled to be complete by 2015.