by Bill Carey
U.S. Navy crewmembers have given Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon positive reviews as the 737-derivative maritime patrol aircraft starts to enter service more widely in the U.S., as well as internationally. The first P-8A delivery (of up to 15) to the Royal Australian Air Force is scheduled for November, when the country will join India on the growing list of international operators. The UK also plans to acquire nine examples of the type.
Ultimately, the U.S. Navy plans to acquire 117 of the jets. So far, six East Coast patrol squadrons have completed the transition from the venerable Lockheed P-3C Orion to the Poseidon after training by Patrol Squadron Thirty (VP-30), the Navy’s fleet replacement training unit at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida. VP-16, known as the “War Eagles,” achieved safe-for-flight status to fly the P-8A in January 2013 and became the first operational squadron that December when it deployed with six Poseidons to Kadena Air Base, Japan, in support of the 7th Fleet.
The focus now shifts from the East Coast base to NAS Whidbey Island, located in Puget Sound off Washington state. VP-30 will oversee transition training there of six West Coast squadrons, beginning in October with VP-4, the “Skinny Dragons,” the first of three Hawaii-based squadrons to relocate temporarily to Whidbey Island for transition to the P-8A.
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