sudhir007
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2009
- Messages
- 4,728
- Reaction score
- 1
Second P-8A Moves To Pax River Testing Site | AVIATION WEEK
Boeing has shifted the second P-8A to the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., to support the U.S. Navy maritime patrol aircraft’s development program, and the company also is finishing up work on the third and final flight test aircraft.
The second P-8A, designated T-2, is the first with the primary mission system. The aircraft, which first flew with the mission equipment installed on June 8, was shifted to Pax River on June 19.
Prior to that it already underwent system checkout during a mission operating alongside a U.S. Navy P-3 based at Whidbey Island, Wash., according to Chuck Dabundo, Boeing vice president in charge of the project.
Flight trials with T-3 are due to begin in the third quarter. The aircraft also will be used for mission system testing, but the key role will be weapons certification. The P-8A is to carry torpedoes and the Boeing-built Standoff Land Attack Missile – Expanded Response.
Dabundo says that the program remains “in good shape” to meet the late 2013 initial operational capability (IOC) target the Navy has set. Reaching IOC will involve six aircraft to be bought under the first low-rate initial production contract, as well as availability of aircraft T4-6, which will be used to train personnel (deliveries of those three aircraft are planned for the second, third and fourth quarter of next year).
Meanwhile, the Navy is finalizing plans for the increment 2 aircraft (also called spiral 1) for upgrades to the P-8A that would be introduced in 2016. The enhancements will center on expanding the acoustic capabilities of the submarine-hunting aircraft. Australia is involved in the dialogue as part of the country’s discussions to become the second export customer for the P-8, following India, which is buying eight P-8Is. Another upgrade, increment three (or Spiral 2), would follow in 2019.
Next month Boeing and India plan to conduct the final design review. First-aircraft construction would begin in the fourth quarter, with deliveries to India to start in 2012. The Indian aircraft features a few differences from the P-8A, including a magnetic anomaly detector, second sea-search radar to provide 360 deg. coverage (Boeing has selected, but not identified the supplier), and air-to-air search capabilities.
Boeing has shifted the second P-8A to the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., to support the U.S. Navy maritime patrol aircraft’s development program, and the company also is finishing up work on the third and final flight test aircraft.
The second P-8A, designated T-2, is the first with the primary mission system. The aircraft, which first flew with the mission equipment installed on June 8, was shifted to Pax River on June 19.
Prior to that it already underwent system checkout during a mission operating alongside a U.S. Navy P-3 based at Whidbey Island, Wash., according to Chuck Dabundo, Boeing vice president in charge of the project.
Flight trials with T-3 are due to begin in the third quarter. The aircraft also will be used for mission system testing, but the key role will be weapons certification. The P-8A is to carry torpedoes and the Boeing-built Standoff Land Attack Missile – Expanded Response.
Dabundo says that the program remains “in good shape” to meet the late 2013 initial operational capability (IOC) target the Navy has set. Reaching IOC will involve six aircraft to be bought under the first low-rate initial production contract, as well as availability of aircraft T4-6, which will be used to train personnel (deliveries of those three aircraft are planned for the second, third and fourth quarter of next year).
Meanwhile, the Navy is finalizing plans for the increment 2 aircraft (also called spiral 1) for upgrades to the P-8A that would be introduced in 2016. The enhancements will center on expanding the acoustic capabilities of the submarine-hunting aircraft. Australia is involved in the dialogue as part of the country’s discussions to become the second export customer for the P-8, following India, which is buying eight P-8Is. Another upgrade, increment three (or Spiral 2), would follow in 2019.
Next month Boeing and India plan to conduct the final design review. First-aircraft construction would begin in the fourth quarter, with deliveries to India to start in 2012. The Indian aircraft features a few differences from the P-8A, including a magnetic anomaly detector, second sea-search radar to provide 360 deg. coverage (Boeing has selected, but not identified the supplier), and air-to-air search capabilities.