Indian Navy's second P-8I maritime surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft arrives

by Devesh Agarwal

Manufacturer, Boeing has delivered the second P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft to the Indian Navy. The first P-8I was delivered in May. The P-8I is the Indian Navy variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing has developed for the U.S. Navy.

Indian Navy's second P-8I IN-320 departs for India

The two aircraft are currently stationed at INS Rajali, informally known as Arakkonam Naval Air Station, just west of Chennai. The second aircraft will begin flight trials in the coming months, while the first P-8I recently completed testing its weapons capabilities, including successfully firing a Boeing Harpoon missile at a target and dropping a torpedo.

The P-8I features open system architecture, advanced sensor and display technologies, and a worldwide base of suppliers, parts and support equipment. P-8I aircraft are built by a Boeing-led industry team that includes CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems and GE Aviation.

Read more »

Advanced Super Hornet demonstrates significant stealth and range improvements

by BA Staff

During three weeks of flight testing the Advanced Super Hornet F/A-18F, Boeing and its partner Northrop Grumman demonstrated that the fighter can outperform threats for decades to come with improvements that make the jet much harder for radar to detect and give it significantly more combat range.

Through 21 flights in St. Louis and Patuxent River, MD., that began Aug. 5, the team tested conformal fuel tanks (CFT), an enclosed weapons pod (EWP), and signature enhancements, each of which can be retrofitted on an existing Block II Super Hornet aircraft or included on a new jet.

Improvements to the aircraft’s radar signature, including the enclosed pod, resulted in a 50 percent reduction compared with the U.S. Navy’s stealth requirement for the current Super Hornet variant. The tests also showed that the CFTs increase the jet’s combat radius by up to 130 nautical miles, for a total combat radius of more than 700 nautical miles.

Boeing and Northrop Grumman funded the testing. The companies, along with Hornet Industry Team partners GE Aviation and Raytheon, are investing in more advanced technologies for the Advanced Super Hornet, including internal Infrared Search and Track, an enhanced engine and a next-generation cockpit.

Read more »