SEATTLE, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- The 13th production P-8A Poseidon from Boeing has been delivered to the U.S. Navy ahead of schedule, the company announced.
The maritime patrol aircraft was flown to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., earlier this month following post-assembly testing at the company's facility in Washington State.
"This track record of on-time, or ahead-of-schedule, deliveries is a tribute to the efforts of the entire industry team as well as our Navy customer," said Rick Heerdt, Boeing vice president and P-8 program manager. "The P-8A's industry-unique assembly process, which takes full advantage of the efficiencies in the Next-Generation 737 production system, will continue to pay off as we move into full-rate production."
The P-8A is based on Boeing's 737-800 commercial aircraft and is to replace aging P-3 Orions for anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
Boeing said the Poseidon delivered this month is the last of a second low-rate production order and the company has already started Lot 3 assembly.
The Navy has ordered 117 P-8A Poseidons.
