'Team Poseidon' in June was announced for a Purpose , and apparently the purpose may meet the success soon ! Sources say, If not defined, Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand is considering whether to push forward a multi-billion-dollar proposal to purchase new surveillance aircraft for the Canadian Forces.
Boeing's announcement earlier in the year made it clear that it would take part in any competition to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s existing and aging fleet of CP-140 Aurora aircraft. That program, dubbed the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) Project , is expected to cost more than $5 billion.
The Poseidon team consists of Boeing, CAE, GE Aviation Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defence, KF Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace Canada and Raytheon Canada.
According to industry and defence voices, the proposal to buy between eight and 12 units of P-8 Poseidon aircraft from Boeing is still being examined. And , whether it moves forward to cabinet still has to be decided. But again , sources say , proposal is very much active and making a forward progress.
Visual of a P-8 Poseidon aircraft Cockpit.
Worth mentioning , aim of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) project is to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force fleet of CP-140 Aurora aircraft and enhance its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
Best suited to the occasion is — The Boeing P-8A , that has a proven standard military solution with an excess of 150 aircraft deliveries. The P-8 is expected to enhance Canada's ability to defend its maritime and northern borders while ensuring interoperability with NORAD and NATO allies.
Notably , Current Boeing P-8 customers include the U.S. Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Indian Navy, Royal Norwegian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Republic of Korea Navy and German Navy.
To replace the veteran CP-140 Aurora with P-8 Poseidon, Boeing, which is short of enough orders to sustain the Poseidon program beyond 2025 , has sought alliances with up to 81 Canadian suppliers to better position itself in the contest.
The P-8A Poseidon offers advanced anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and search and rescue capabilities, and is the only multi-mission aircraft in service and production that meets all CMMA requirements.
At an earlier occasion , Sean Liedman, director of International Business Development for Boeing's Mobility and Surveillance aircraft had said,
"The P-8A Poseidon offers a unique opportunity for the Royal Canadian Air Force as all development costs have been paid for by other P-8 customers."
But ,Canadian National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier said the CP-140 Aurora is currently scheduled to retire from service in 2030.
“We continue to examine all options that are available to us for the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft Project.”
Boeing's June 22 press release reads ,
Having executed more than 450,000 flight hours without collective setbacks, the P-8A Poseidon has demonstrated its ability to operate worldwide in the toughest flight regimes, including extended operations in extremely cold climates and icy environments.
Built on the proven Next-Generation 737 aircraft structure, the P-8's 86% similarity to more than 4,000 737NGs in service offers lower lifecycle maintenance costs due to large economies of scale.
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