Boeing has rolled out its first P-8A Poseidon multi-mission maritime aircraft for South Korea. The Korean Navy currently uses 6 P-3Cs and P-3CKs and will replace them with the new aircraft in 2030.
The US State Department approved the sale of six P-8As to South Korea for an estimated $2.1 billion in September 2018.
The maritime aircraft — with more than 140 in service — is currently used by countries including Germany, the United States, Australia, India, the United Kingdom, Norway, and New Zealand.
About the P-8A
The P-8A is a long-range, multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft capable of broad-area maritime and littoral operations. It can fly up to an altitude of 41,000 feet (12.5 kilometers) at a speed up to 490 knots (907 kilometers/563 miles per hour).
A military version of the Boeing commercial 737, the Poseidon combines superior performance and reliability with an advanced mission system.
It features open mission system architecture and a high-bypass, turbo-fan jet engine.
The aircraft’s weapon system has a bomb bay and pylons for weapons, two weapons stations on each wing, and can be armed with torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and other weapons.
As of November 2021, the aircraft has completed more than 400,000 accident-free flight hours.
Fitted with an in-flight refueling system, the Poseidon can be used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, humanitarian, and search and rescue missions. It can also be used in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare.