Navy opens Boeing-equipped P-8 maintenance center

ST. LOUIS, May 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy's P-8 Maintenance Training Facility has opened in Florida, equipped with a Boeing suite of interactive training systems.

The center at Naval Air Station Jacksonville enables the Navy to provide immersive training for those maintaining P-8A Poseidon aircraft around the world.

Its virtual maintenance training devices provide interactive, high-fidelity simulations based on mission systems software. The center also uses full-scale replicas of aircraft components for hardware instruction.

Boeing said more than 1,000 procedures using seven virtual maintenance trainers and 14 hardware-based devices are taught at the facility.

"Our new P-8A Maintenance Training Facility will provide the fleet with qualified technicians equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to keep the P-8A aircraft flying for many years to come," said Robert Powden, department head of the U.S. Navy's P-8A maintenance training unit.

Boeing in 2014 received a Navy contract to provide the facility's training equipment. It also designed and delivered P-8A aircrew training devices, electronic classrooms and courseware for the Navy's Integrated Training Center.