The US Navy’s New $150M Submarine-Destroying Jet.
Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon plane may look a lot like the company’s 737 but it’s actually a highly advanced military aircraft that’s equipped to hunt submarines. The U.S. Navy has just deployed several of the airplanes (modified Boeing 737-800s) to Japan to increase U.S. military presence around the disputed Senkaku Islands, which Japan controls and China claims. It’s the first ever deployment for the aircraft, which has been in development for nearly a decade, and will replace the US Navy’s fleet of Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion aircraft.
P-8 Poseidon is manufactured in Renton, Virginia. The P-8 has a strengthened fuselage and 767-400ER-style raked wingtips, instead of the blended winglets available on 737NG variants.
There are five operator stations (two Naval Flight Officers plus three enlisted Aviation Warfare Operators/Naval Aircrewman) mounted in a sideways row along the port side of the cabin. Crew stations do not have windows, but there is one observer window located on each side of the forward cabin.
Here’s a look at the game-changing capabilities of the P-8.
P-8 is a military version of a Boeing 737
USN is planning purchase of 177 P-8 aircraft
Cost per plane is $150
Aircraft’s mission is to find and destroy enemy submarines with submarine-detecting sonobuoys, anti-ship missiles, and torpedoes.