Navy awards over $3 billion Poseidon contract to Boeing

The Navy has awarded Boeing a $3.4 billion contract for the manufacture of 17 P-8A Poseidon aircraft -- with 14 going to the Royal Canadian Air Force and three to the German Navy.

“We are proud to add Canada to the list of international P-8 partners as well as to Germany’s fleet of maritime patrol aircraft,” P-8A Program Manager and Vice President Philip June said in a Boeing news release. “The Poseidon is a proven aircraft, with more than 600,000 flight hours, that will serve Canada and Germany well in today’s challenging security environment and for decades to come.”

Canada is aiming to replace its current fleet of CP-140 Auroras with the Poseidon, with the first aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2026. Meanwhile, Germany will replace its fleet of P-3 Orions, with the first Poseidon expected to be delivered in 2025, according to the release.

“Our global customers require proven advanced capabilities to protect their countries -- the P-8 provides that defense,” said Vince Logsdon, vice president of International Business Development for Boeing Defense, Space and Security and Global Services. “Together with our partners, we look forward to delivering this unmatched capability in addition to significant industrial benefits for Canada’s and Germany’s aerospace and defense industries.”