Spirit AeroSystems has joined Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon team, which is developing the US Navy’s long-range anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.
Spirit will build the 737 aircraft’s fuselage and airframe tail sections and struts in
Buck Buchanan, Spirit AeroSystems vice-president, said: ‘The structures we will deliver have customer-unique features installed in the standard commercial line. This allows the lowest possible cost and shortest flow to the customer since our standard processes are used rather than relying on traditional techniques of modifying military planes after delivery.’
The P-8A is capable of maritime and seashore operations, and is derived from the Next-Generation 737-800.
The US Navy plans to purchase 108 P-8As to replace its fleet of P-3C aircraft.
Boeing will deliver the first aircraft for flight test in 2009. It is expected to be operational in 2013.
Other members of the Poseidon team include Northrop Grumman and Raytheon.
Poll: Should the UK’s railways be renationalised?
I'd hate to be disingenuous so I've replotted the data with the first trendline from 1946 to 1977 and the second using your chosen dates 1983 to 2018....