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Naval
Aviation News - Australia |
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Video:
Australia’s 1st P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft Completes
Maiden Flight |
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Australia’s first P-8A
Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft has completed its maiden flight.
The aircraft flew a short distance from Renton Airfield to Boeing Field
in Washington State USA, to where the P-8A’s sophisticated mission
systems will be installed as part of project AIR 7000. |
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RAAF P-8A Poseidon maiden flight. Australian Department of
Defence picture. |
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The
$5.4 billion P-8A program will provide Australia’s future manned
maritime patrol and response aircraft capability, replacing in part
the AP-3C Orion aircraft. The P-8A Poseidon is 39.5 metres long, has
a maximum takeoff weight of 85,820kg and a wingspan of 37.6m. Powered
by two jet engines, it has a top speed is 907km/h with a maximum range
of 7,500km. With a saving of US$260m compared to the initial budget,
the P-8A Poseidon aircraft were acquired through a cooperative program
with the United States Navy and contracted to Boeing Defence Space and
Security. A Royal Australian Air Force crew will fly the aircraft to
Australia in late 2016 following post-production checks and acceptance. |
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RAAF P-8A Poseidon maiden flight. Australian Department of Defence
picture. |
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Based on
Boeing’s Next-Generation 737-800 commercial airplane, the P-8A offers
the worlds’ most advanced anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare and
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The Navy has
deployed four P-8A patrol squadrons since operations began in 2013. Link to P-8A Poseidon MPA technical datasheet |
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