Boeing on November 3 received a $1.7 billion low-rate initial production (LRIP) award from the US Navy for seven additional P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft.
LRIP-II is the follow-on to an initial LRIP-I contract awarded in January to provide six Poseidon aircraft.
Overall, the Navy plans to purchase 117 Boeing 737-based P-8A anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to replace its P-3 fleet.
As part of the contract, Boeing will provide aircrew and maintenance training for the Navy beginning in 2012, in addition to logistics support, spares, support equipment and tools.
The training system will include a full-motion, full-visual Operational Flight Trainer that simulates the flight crew stations, and a Weapons Tactics Trainer for the mission crew stations.
Boeing completed assembly of the first LRIP-I aircraft at its Renton, Wash., facility this US summer.
The aircraft subsequently completed a successful first flight July 7, 2011, from Renton Field to Boeing Field, which marked its transition from fabrication and assembly to mission system installation and checkout in Seattle.