Indian Navy welcomes 12th P-8I maritime patrol aircraft

US-based aerospace company Boeing has delivered the 12th P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to the Indian Navy.

The vessel, which was delivered on 19 February, is the fourth of four additional aircraft delivered under the options contract signed by the Indian Ministry of Defence in 2016.

“With this delivery of the P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, we continue to nurture this partnership and are fully committed to working closely with India’s defence forces to deliver the right value and capabilities to meet their operational needs,” said Surendra Ahuja, managing director, Boeing Defence India. 

Several complex and mission-critical P-8I components such as the radar fingerprinting system, IFF (I/T) and datalink, speech secrecy system, mobile satcom system and wire harnesses are made in India by supplier partners, including Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) located across the nation.

Boeing plans to enhance in-country technical services support for the P-8I fleet by leveraging the skills and expertise of Boeing’s India Engineering and Technology Center.

The P-8I is an integral part of the Indian Navy’s fleet and has surpassed 35,000 flight hours since it was inducted in 2013. 

The Indian Navy was the first international customer for the P-8 and today the P-8 is also operated by the US Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and the Royal Norwegian Air Force.