New Delhi: Boeing has delivered the 12th P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to the Indian Navy on Wednesday.
"This is the fourth of four additional aircraft delivered under the options contract signed by the Ministry of Defence in 2016," informed Boeing in its official statement today.
The P-8I aircraft is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon aircraft that Boeing developed as a replacement for the US Navy's ageing P-3 fleet.
In May 2021, the US State Department approved the proposed sale of six P-8I patrol aircraft and related equipment, a deal estimated to cost 2.42 billion dollars.
In November 2019, the Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved the procurement of the long-range maritime surveillance aircraft manufactured by Boeing.
Indian Navy became the first international customer for the P-8 aircraft with the conclusion of the nearly US 2.1 billion dollars contract on January 1, 2009, for a total of eight aircraft. The first aircraft arrived in India on May 15, 2013.
Ministry of Defence informed that the P-8I aircraft is equipped for long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of the broad area, maritime and littoral operations. Its communication and sensor suite includes indigenous equipment developed by defence PSUs and private manufacturers.
With its high speed and high endurance of about 10 hours, the aircraft is capable of thrusting a punitive response and maintaining a watch over India's immediate and extended areas of interest.
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