A Deep-Dive Into Boeing’s Militarized 737: The P-8 Poseidon (2024)

The Poseidon P-8 has been making the news in recent times as Boeing works to secure a deal with the Canadian military. The Canadian forces are looking to replace their aging maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft and the government had decided earlier in 2023 that the P-8 was the only suitable aircraft. With this deal ongoing, it's worth looking at this militarized 737 variant, its history, and its capabilities.

The background and basics of the P-8

According to Fi-Aeroweb, the P-8 conducted its first flight on April 25th, 2009. Full-scale testing of the airframe would then continue until January 2011. Months later, on July 7th, 2011, the first production aircraft made its initial flight and was delivered to the US Navy on March 4th, 2012. By January 3rd, 2014, the type was approved for Full Rate Production (FRP).

Based on the popular Boeing 737 commercial aircraft platform, the jet has the fuselage of a 737-800 but sports broader wings. The aircraft is powered by a pair of CFM International CFM56-7B high-bypass turbofan engines. As the US planemaker highlights, the P-8 shares 86% commonality with the commercial 737NG, "providing enormous supply chain economies of scale in production and support."

Photo: Boeing

For aviation enthusiasts new to this militarized 737 variant, there can be some confusion around the naming. Interestingly, P-8 and P-8A are oftentimes used interchangeably, without much explanation on what the "A" might stand for. According to Boeing, the P-8 has two variants: The P-8I and the P-8A. The P-8I is only flown by the Indian Navy while the P-8A Poseidon flown by the US Navy, the UK's Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal Norwegian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force. If Boeing gets its way, the Royal Canadian Air Force will eventually be operating these jets, but this is a topic we'll discuss further down in this piece.

As per Indian Aerospace Defence News, there are four big differences between the -8I and the -8A:

1. The P-8I's surface search radar is an “international version” suitable for export to India.
2. P-8I has has a different data link to communicate between ships and ground based stations, compared to the P-8A, which uses a NATO-compatible Data Link.
3. P-8I is equipped with an AN/ASQ-508A Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) which is absent on standard P-8As.
4. Finally, a Griffon Corporation Telephonics APS-143C(V)3 multimode aft radar is on the P-8I which is otherwise absent on the standard P8A.

Photo: Boeing

Ultimately, it looks like the P-8A is available to close US allies, whether they be fellow NATO members, or members of the "five eyes" intelligence alliance (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States). India, not being a member of either of these groups, has a P-8 variant with different technologies.

Specifications of the P-8

The P-8 is a multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft, suited to anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare. Not only can it conduct ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) operations, but the jet can be used for search and rescue as well.

Technical data comparing the P-8 with the 737-800 and sourced from Boeing, PM Flight, and Rocket Route is as follows:

Photo: Boeing

It didn't seem right to compare weapon or defense storage capability in a chart with the 737-800, but it's also worth noting that the P-8A can be fitted with 129 A-size sonobuoys, a harpoon, a number of MK-54 torpedoes, and a survival kit. Aerial refueling is another capability present in the P-8 that is not available for the 737-800.

Other than the P-8's weapon stores capabilities, we can see that the P-8's wingspan is slightly longer, while the height of the airframe is also a little more than its commercial counterpart. Both aircraft use the CFM56, albeit different variants. While aircraft ceiling is identical, the P-8 is certified to takeoff with more weight. Range is more challenging to calculate as this metric is 'militarized' for the P-8, suited to the military customers eyeing the jet. Indeed, Boeing's figure is the distance that can be covered from base, along with a four-hour 'time on station' duration, followed by a return to base.

P-8 customers to date

Examining data from Planespotters.net, the following countries have ordered and are operating the P-8:

• United States (123)
• India (12)
• Australia (12)
• United Kingdom (9)
• Norway (5)
• New Zealand (3)
• South Korea (2)

Additionally, the German Navy has 12 on order. This began with an initial order for five but grew to 12 with an additional order for seven in 2022.

Photo: Boeing

Will Canada be added to the list of P-8 operators?

Of the intelligence alliance known as the "Five Eyes," Canada is clearly stands out as the one member not yet operating the Boeing P-8A. This could soon change as the country seeks to modernize aspects of its military.

As noted previously, Canada is on a mission to replace its fleet of aging maritime surveillance aircraft: 14 Lockheed CP-140 Auroras. These turboprops had entered service in the 1980s but had extensive modernization work carried out in 1998 to keep the fleet in service up until 2030. This has given the government more time, but the Auroras won't be flying forever. Looking beyond 2030, the Canadian government is considering the purchase of up to 16 P-8As.

Photo: Boeing

More specifically, on March 27th the Canadian government announced that the Boeing P-8A Poseidon was the sole aircraft available considered to be a suitable candidate for its Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) program. In an official statement, the department known as Public Services and Procurement Canada stated:

Days after the government statement was issued, Canadian aerospace firm Bombardier spoke out, arguing that a Canadian-made solution must be considered as well. At the time, a Bombardier spokesperson stated, “Canada has the opportunity to leverage its [domestic] aerospace industry to provide a multi-mission aircraft that will be the standard for decades to come...Performance should matter. Canadian jobs should matter. And sustainability matters most.”

Bombardier has been refining its 'candidate' to rival the P-8A and has teamed up with defense contractor General Dynamics Missions Systems - Canada to develop a maritime surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft based on its Global 6500 private jet. While this aircraft is not the focus of this article, it will be interesting to see how the pair of Canadian companies will design a jet that will properly compete against the P-8A.

A proven system

Boeing proudly labels the P-8 as "a proven system," citing the fact that it has more than 155 aircraft in service. It also adds that the P-8 has executed more than 500,000 "mishap free flight-hours around the globe."

Photo: Boeing

With the 737NG series (and its CFM56 engines) already proving to be reliable for commercial airlines around the world, the P-8 draws many benefits from the commonality with its commercial counterpart. Unfortunately, for prospective customers (particularly US allies), this might just mean that Boeing has cornered the market, eliminating any serious competition and potentially driving up prices.

What do you think of Boeing's P-8 Poseidon? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.

Sources: FI-Aeroweb, IAD News, PM Flight, RocketRoute