Boeing receives $27.7 million for Poseidon upgrades

May 22 (UPI) -- Boeing Co. was awarded a $27.7 million contract modification for integrated logistics support of the P-8A Poseidon aircraft, the Pentagon announced.

The contract, announced on Thursday, calls for upgrades to Poseidon aircraft of the U.S. Navy and the militaries of Britain and Australia.

The majority of the work will be performed in Seattle, with additional work in two other Boeing facilities in the United States and at bases in Italy, Japan and Bahrain.

The Poseidon P8-A is modified from the Boeing's 737-800ERX passenger plane, and used anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and shipping interdiction situations.

It carries torpedoes and Harpoon anti-ship missiles and other weapons, and can drop and monitor up to 129 sonobuoys. The plane also includes a bomb bay and pylons to accommodate weapons, has two weapons stations on each wing and can be refueled in-flight.

Four countries use the plane, which has been ordered by three other countries. Boeing has built nearly 100 since 2009.