US Navy integrates first updated P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to improve fleet readiness
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On July 10, 2025, L3Harris Technologies delivered the first overhauled P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). The aircraft was modified at the company’s Waco, Texas facility, where depot-level maintenance, repair, and overhaul work began in 2024 and is scheduled to continue through September 2029. This delivery marks the first milestone under a contract awarded by the U.S. Navy on September 30, 2024. The contract covers support for a total of 139 P-8A aircraft and includes maintenance actions such as structural refurbishment, avionics upgrades, systems testing, and component overhauls. The program is part of the U.S. Navy’s long-term strategy to sustain operational availability of its maritime patrol and reconnaissance fleet while supporting readiness objectives across a range of missions.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The contract covers support for a total of 139 P-8A aircraft and includes maintenance actions such as structural refurbishment, avionics upgrades, systems testing, and component overhauls. (Picture source: L3Harris)
The contract awarded to L3Harris includes depot-level support for the P-8A Poseidon fleet, which operates in maritime patrol, long-range anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) roles. In addition to supporting the U.S. Navy, L3Harris is also tasked with supporting foreign military sales of the aircraft. The company is currently overhauling seven P-8A units, all scheduled for delivery within the year. A total of up to nine aircraft are expected to be inducted during the first contract year. On July 11, 2025, NAVAIR confirmed that the delivery of the first aircraft had been completed, and emphasized that this event supports the fleet’s mission availability requirements. L3Harris also confirmed that Canadian Commercial Corporation awarded a separate contract in May 2025 for the delivery of surveillance and targeting systems to support Canada’s P-8A fleet.
The P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft is derived from the Boeing 737-800ERX commercial airframe and has been modified for military operations. It carries a nine-person crew and features a range of military-specific systems, including a bomb bay, eleven total hardpoints, and integration with various mission systems. It is powered by two CFM56-7B27A turbofan engines, each producing 27,300 pounds of thrust. The aircraft has a length of 39.47 meters, a wingspan of 37.64 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight of 85,820 kilograms. Its maximum speed is 907 km/h, and it has a ferry range of 8,300 kilometers and a service ceiling of 12,500 meters. Armament includes Harpoon anti-ship missiles, AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER, Mark 54 lightweight torpedoes, depth charges, and the High-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC) system. Sensors include the Raytheon AN/APY-10 radar, AN/ALQ-240 ESM suite, and the AN/APS-154 Advanced Airborne Sensor.
L3Harris’ work under the contract involves a full range of maintenance activities. These include structural inspections, corrosion mitigation, fatigue testing, radome integrity checks, and composite repairs. Specialized facilities at the Waco site perform sheet metal and structural component restoration. Avionics work includes diagnostics, repair, and integration of mission systems, as well as modernization of integrated mission computers and flight control systems. Environmental, hydraulic, and flight surface systems are also subject to overhaul. Component-level maintenance includes restoration of engines, landing gear, auxiliary power units, actuators, and other line-replaceable units. Robotic and automated fabrication tools are used to improve turnaround times and maintain consistency in structural work. These procedures aim to maintain the aircraft’s mission availability rate and address airframe fatigue and wear observed during high-tempo operational deployments.
The U.S. Navy began P-8A operations in 2013, and the platform has since replaced the P-3C Orion in the maritime patrol role. The aircraft has participated in ASW, ASuW, ISR, and SAR missions, with deployment histories including Exercise Bold Alligator, Joint Warrior, RIMPAC, and forward rotations to bases in Okinawa, Singapore, and the UK. The fleet also supports global operations and search efforts, such as the 2014 MH370 mission and the 2015 SS El Faro response. Since its introduction, the P-8A has undergone incremental capability upgrades, including acoustic processing enhancements, ISR sensor improvements, and net-enabled weapons integration. The aircraft is refueled via boom receptacle and uses USAF tanker aircraft, including the KC-135 and KC-46. It is also interoperable with unmanned assets, including the MQ-4C Triton. Maintenance contracts such as the one executed by L3Harris are intended to align with these long-term upgrades, ensuring compatibility with evolving mission system baselines.
The P-8A is in service with multiple international operators. India’s Navy flies the P-8I variant, which includes additional sensors such as a magnetic anomaly detector and the Telephonics APS-143 OceanEye radar. Australia, the UK, Norway, New Zealand, South Korea, and Germany have all acquired P-8A aircraft, with various stages of deliveries ongoing. Canada signed a procurement deal in November 2023 for up to 16 P-8As at a total cost of CA$10.4 billion, with deliveries scheduled between 2026 and 2027. Denmark signed a cooperation agreement with Norway in 2025 to lease P-8As, and several other countries, including Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Turkey, and Singapore, have either expressed interest or are evaluating the platform for their maritime patrol needs. NATO has also considered the P-8A for shared European operations as an interim solution.
L3Harris’ history with maritime patrol aircraft includes longstanding sustainment and modification support for the P-3 Orion, which provided the company with the technical and programmatic basis to support the transition to P-8A sustainment. The company has delivered services for U.S. government customers, NOAA, and military customers in multiple regions. The current P-8A overhaul program reflects the broader shift within the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) office toward lifecycle sustainment, training infrastructure development, and incremental upgrade integration. The delivery of the first overhauled aircraft in July 2025 represents the implementation of that strategy and serves as the first instance of depot-level MRO completion under the contract. Up to nine aircraft will be overhauled in the first year, and the rest will follow in a phased timeline through 2029.
With over 185 P-8 aircraft built by Boeing as of May 2025 and more than a dozen customer nations, the P-8A continues to expand its global footprint. The aircraft’s missions include ASW and ISR operations in the Indo-Pacific, the Atlantic, the Arctic, and various littoral zones. The fleet has conducted forward deployments in response to regional security developments, including intercepts with Russian and Chinese aircraft. Domestic accidents and recovery efforts, such as the MCAS Kaneohe Bay runway overrun in November 2023, illustrate operational challenges and fleet resilience. Depot-level support programs like the one led by L3Harris are essential for restoring airframes, maintaining availability, and synchronizing technical configurations across the fleet. The P-8A will remain in service into the 2030s, and sustainment efforts over the next four years are structured to support future upgrades, potential structural life extensions, and integration with allied operations.
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On July 10, 2025, L3Harris Technologies delivered the first overhauled P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). The aircraft was modified at the company’s Waco, Texas facility, where depot-level maintenance, repair, and overhaul work began in 2024 and is scheduled to continue through September 2029. This delivery marks the first milestone under a contract awarded by the U.S. Navy on September 30, 2024. The contract covers support for a total of 139 P-8A aircraft and includes maintenance actions such as structural refurbishment, avionics upgrades, systems testing, and component overhauls. The program is part of the U.S. Navy’s long-term strategy to sustain operational availability of its maritime patrol and reconnaissance fleet while supporting readiness objectives across a range of missions.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The contract covers support for a total of 139 P-8A aircraft and includes maintenance actions such as structural refurbishment, avionics upgrades, systems testing, and component overhauls. (Picture source: L3Harris)
The contract awarded to L3Harris includes depot-level support for the P-8A Poseidon fleet, which operates in maritime patrol, long-range anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) roles. In addition to supporting the U.S. Navy, L3Harris is also tasked with supporting foreign military sales of the aircraft. The company is currently overhauling seven P-8A units, all scheduled for delivery within the year. A total of up to nine aircraft are expected to be inducted during the first contract year. On July 11, 2025, NAVAIR confirmed that the delivery of the first aircraft had been completed, and emphasized that this event supports the fleet’s mission availability requirements. L3Harris also confirmed that Canadian Commercial Corporation awarded a separate contract in May 2025 for the delivery of surveillance and targeting systems to support Canada’s P-8A fleet.
The P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft is derived from the Boeing 737-800ERX commercial airframe and has been modified for military operations. It carries a nine-person crew and features a range of military-specific systems, including a bomb bay, eleven total hardpoints, and integration with various mission systems. It is powered by two CFM56-7B27A turbofan engines, each producing 27,300 pounds of thrust. The aircraft has a length of 39.47 meters, a wingspan of 37.64 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight of 85,820 kilograms. Its maximum speed is 907 km/h, and it has a ferry range of 8,300 kilometers and a service ceiling of 12,500 meters. Armament includes Harpoon anti-ship missiles, AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER, Mark 54 lightweight torpedoes, depth charges, and the High-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC) system. Sensors include the Raytheon AN/APY-10 radar, AN/ALQ-240 ESM suite, and the AN/APS-154 Advanced Airborne Sensor.
L3Harris’ work under the contract involves a full range of maintenance activities. These include structural inspections, corrosion mitigation, fatigue testing, radome integrity checks, and composite repairs. Specialized facilities at the Waco site perform sheet metal and structural component restoration. Avionics work includes diagnostics, repair, and integration of mission systems, as well as modernization of integrated mission computers and flight control systems. Environmental, hydraulic, and flight surface systems are also subject to overhaul. Component-level maintenance includes restoration of engines, landing gear, auxiliary power units, actuators, and other line-replaceable units. Robotic and automated fabrication tools are used to improve turnaround times and maintain consistency in structural work. These procedures aim to maintain the aircraft’s mission availability rate and address airframe fatigue and wear observed during high-tempo operational deployments.
The U.S. Navy began P-8A operations in 2013, and the platform has since replaced the P-3C Orion in the maritime patrol role. The aircraft has participated in ASW, ASuW, ISR, and SAR missions, with deployment histories including Exercise Bold Alligator, Joint Warrior, RIMPAC, and forward rotations to bases in Okinawa, Singapore, and the UK. The fleet also supports global operations and search efforts, such as the 2014 MH370 mission and the 2015 SS El Faro response. Since its introduction, the P-8A has undergone incremental capability upgrades, including acoustic processing enhancements, ISR sensor improvements, and net-enabled weapons integration. The aircraft is refueled via boom receptacle and uses USAF tanker aircraft, including the KC-135 and KC-46. It is also interoperable with unmanned assets, including the MQ-4C Triton. Maintenance contracts such as the one executed by L3Harris are intended to align with these long-term upgrades, ensuring compatibility with evolving mission system baselines.
The P-8A is in service with multiple international operators. India’s Navy flies the P-8I variant, which includes additional sensors such as a magnetic anomaly detector and the Telephonics APS-143 OceanEye radar. Australia, the UK, Norway, New Zealand, South Korea, and Germany have all acquired P-8A aircraft, with various stages of deliveries ongoing. Canada signed a procurement deal in November 2023 for up to 16 P-8As at a total cost of CA$10.4 billion, with deliveries scheduled between 2026 and 2027. Denmark signed a cooperation agreement with Norway in 2025 to lease P-8As, and several other countries, including Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Turkey, and Singapore, have either expressed interest or are evaluating the platform for their maritime patrol needs. NATO has also considered the P-8A for shared European operations as an interim solution.
L3Harris’ history with maritime patrol aircraft includes longstanding sustainment and modification support for the P-3 Orion, which provided the company with the technical and programmatic basis to support the transition to P-8A sustainment. The company has delivered services for U.S. government customers, NOAA, and military customers in multiple regions. The current P-8A overhaul program reflects the broader shift within the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) office toward lifecycle sustainment, training infrastructure development, and incremental upgrade integration. The delivery of the first overhauled aircraft in July 2025 represents the implementation of that strategy and serves as the first instance of depot-level MRO completion under the contract. Up to nine aircraft will be overhauled in the first year, and the rest will follow in a phased timeline through 2029.
With over 185 P-8 aircraft built by Boeing as of May 2025 and more than a dozen customer nations, the P-8A continues to expand its global footprint. The aircraft’s missions include ASW and ISR operations in the Indo-Pacific, the Atlantic, the Arctic, and various littoral zones. The fleet has conducted forward deployments in response to regional security developments, including intercepts with Russian and Chinese aircraft. Domestic accidents and recovery efforts, such as the MCAS Kaneohe Bay runway overrun in November 2023, illustrate operational challenges and fleet resilience. Depot-level support programs like the one led by L3Harris are essential for restoring airframes, maintaining availability, and synchronizing technical configurations across the fleet. The P-8A will remain in service into the 2030s, and sustainment efforts over the next four years are structured to support future upgrades, potential structural life extensions, and integration with allied operations.
