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Boeing tapped for advanced airborne sensors for P-8A Poseidon

By James LaPorta
A P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft assigned to the "Skinny Dragons" of Patrol Squadron 4 sits at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island's Ault Field. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Juan S. Sua/U.S. Navy
A P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft assigned to the "Skinny Dragons" of Patrol Squadron 4 sits at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island's Ault Field. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Juan S. Sua/U.S. Navy

June 5 (UPI) -- Boeing has been awarded a contract by the Defense Department for advanced airborne sensors on the P-8A Poseidon.

The contract, from the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and announced Monday, is valued at more than $24.7 million under the terms of a firm-fixed-price contract that enables Boeing to provide Advanced Airborne Sensor Peculiar Support Equipment for the Navy's P-8A Poseidon, according to the Pentagon.

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The Navy's P-8A Poseidon is an anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare aircraft designed to work in conjunction with the MQ-4C Triton, an unmanned aerial vehicle, for maritime patrol operations, according to the Navy.

The advanced airborne systems on the aircraft provide for detection and tracking of moving enemy targets, along with giving aircrews high-resolution ground mapping while maintaining a stand off distance from the area of interest being surveyed.

The contract will specifically provide logistics, engineering data and other services to the Navy, whose goal is to begin supporting P-8A Poseidon support equipment internally versus using an outside contractor.

Work on the contract will occur in both Texas and Missouri. The period of performance on the contract will expire in March 2022.

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The total cumulative value of the contract will be obligated to Boeing at time of award. The obligated funds will be allocated from Navy fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement funds, the Pentagon said.

All of the obligated funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year in September.

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