By US Navy on Wednesday, July 10th, 2013
P-8A Passes Initial Operational Test and Evaluation
After an in depth testing period, the U.S. Navy announced July 1 in an Initial Operational Test and Evaluation report that its new patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, P-8A Poseidon, was found “operationally effective, operationally suitable, and prepared for fleet introduction.”
“This milestone and accomplishment is feasible due to great team of people who worked diligently and meticulously in making this aircraft your best option to interchange the Navy’s current workhorse, the P-3C Orion,” said Capt. Scott Dillon, Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Program Office (PMA-290) program manager. “It is a good day for the Navy and the fleet. We’re proud so as to add the P-8 to the Navy’s weapons inventory and the deployment cycle later this year.”
This announcement of completing IOT&E follows another major program milestone last month, the successful firing of the Harpoon from the P-8A, which ended in a successful target strike.
“On June 24, completing only one practice run on the Point Mugu Sea Test Range, a P-8A Poseidon from Pax River achieved a program milestone after six minutes of flight time,” Dillon said. “The P-8A successfully launched a Harpoon AGM-84D Block IC missile at the first hot run scoring an instantaneous hit run on a Low-priced Modular Target. This flight test, in addition to past tests, demonstrates the P-8’s operational effectiveness and overall mission capabilities.”
The successful completion of the initial operational testing period was a key milestone in an effort to inform the entire-rate production decision.
With this system passing IOT&E, the P-8A program is still not off course for an initial operational deployment this winter when the 1st P-8A squadron will deploy with P-3 and EP-3 squadrons.
To date, nine low rate initial production aircraft were brought to the fleet and 6 test aircraft was dropped at NAVAIR. In response to this system of record, the Navy plans on purchasing 117 P-8As aircraft.
The P-8A Poseidon will replace the P-3C Orion as a protracted-range anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, in a position to broad-area, maritime and littoral operations. This valuable addition to naval air forces will protect the ocean base and to reinforce the Navy’s forward presence.
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