Indian Navy has received its 10th anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol aircraft P-8I Poseidon from the US-based aerospace company Boeing. The aircraft is used for maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare. This is the second of the four additional aircraft contracted under an optional clause in 2016.
The remaining two were expected to be delivered in the last quarter of this year. The patrol aircraft was an integral part of the Indian Navy’s fleet and had surpassed 30,000 flight hours since its induction in 2013, Boeing said in a statement.
In May, 2021 the U.S. State Department approved the possible sale of six additional P-8I aircraft and related equipment, a deal estimated to cost $2.42 billion. Previously, in November 2019, the Defence Acquisition Council approved the procurement of six aircraft. The number was cut down from 10 to six due to budgetary constraints as also because the Navy was undertaking fleet rationalisation and deciding to go in for long endurance unmanned platforms.
The six P-8Is will come installed with encrypted communication systems since India has now signed the foundational agreement Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) with the U.S.
