Boeing sees an export market for "about 100 P-8 derivatives" with countries that operate the Lockheed P-3 Orion or similar aircraft and are "looking for a long-range maritime patrol, maybe multi-mission, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance-capable platform," says Egan Greenstein, the company's senior manager P-8A business development.

"Some we're talking to directly, some we're talking to in support of the US Navy's foreign military sales, but there are about 14 countries that are interested or have a current capability that they need to replace in the next 10 years," he says. The target nations are Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Greece, India, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, South Korea, Spain and Thailand.

Boeing is negotiating a direct commercial sale of eight P-8As to India to meet its requirement for an interim long-range maritime reconnaisance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.

 

Source: Flight International