US Navy Orders P-8A Poseidon Aircraft

The U.S. Navy announced Aug. 14 the award, to Boeing Defense and Security Systems, of a $295.6 million firm fixed-price-contract for the procurement of 12 Full Rate Production (FRP) Lot 2 P-8A Poseidon Multi-Mission Maritime aircraft for use in the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force fleets.

The U.S. Navy will receive eight aircraft and the RAAF will receive four.

PMA-290’s cooperative partnership with Australia ensures that the Australian government has thorough access to information on the aircraft’s capability, cost, and development schedule. The Australian government will also use this collaborative information when making any decisions when acquiring the P-8 weapon system. Through PMA-290’s Joint Program Office (JPO), this cooperative program personnel (CPP) partnership is managed and allows for the collaboration in a series of improvements planned through the life cycle of the P-8.

As part of the cooperative partnership, there were two active memorandums of understanding (MOU) produced: the first was implemented in April 2009 for Increment 2’s weapon systems development and the second was implemented in March 2012 for production, sustainment and follow-on development.

Some of JPO’s other objectives are to foster a cooperative environment, to identify and investigate incremental development opportunities, establish cooperative project plans and processes, and manage projects to achieve memorandum of understanding objectives.

“The partnership allows Australians to be embedded within the program office, and carries long-term advantages for the both the U.S. Navy and the RAAF,” said Capt. Scott Dillon, the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Program Office’s (PMA 290) program manager. “Cooperation also equips the members of the Australian team to support their own aircraft as their AP-3Cs retire.”

This recent contract award is an example of the work that the CPP have contributed to the maritime patrol community over the past several years since the first MOU was signed by the two governments.