UK Confirms 9 Boeing P-8's to be purchased

[ColintheCaterpillar]

At least it looks like we are getting MPA's Guardian Article - click here to view

Al

That story again focusses in on a competition again. Interestingly the Telegraph has come back in this evening reporting a straight P-8 purchase.

Not long til we find out.

[gamecock]

From the horses mouth:

.....we will invest in nine maritime patrol aircraft to protect our nuclear deterrent, hunt down hostile submarines and enhance our maritime search and rescue.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... ls-it.html

[EGDR]

9 new Boeing P8 maritime patrol aircraft for maritime surveillance, anti-submarine and anti-surface ship warfare, increasing further the protection of our nuclear deterrent and our new aircraft carriers. These roles require an aircraft that can carry torpedoes, as well as being fitted with a broad range of sensors, including radar and sonobuoys, which are operated from the rear of the cabin by a team of specialists. These aircraft will also provide maritime search and rescue and surveillance capabilities over land.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-p ... efence-kit

[Surfrdan]

So which squadrons are top of the list to reform on Typhoon? 21 and 23?

[Spitfire88]

P8s to be based at Lossiemouth

[Agent K]

P8s to be based at Lossiemouth

Interesting, I've not seen this fact confirmed anywhere yet, looking in the wrong place clearly!, where did you see this?

[Harkins]

Does anyone have any idea what kind of time frame we're looking at? Based on the Airseeker acquisition, I assume it'll be a couple of years before we get a P-8 and maybe a decade before we have 9 and by which time 3 of those will be hangar queens? Not being cynical or anything...

[Jazz]

In a Sky News report, first thing this morning. I was waiting for some further clarification and confirmation!...

The P8s will be based at RAF Lossiemouth in the north of Scotland but won't be ready until 2020. In the meantime the US might provide cover for the UK in an agreement that would see RAF pilots train on US aircraft.

[Agent K]

Thanks for that info., I was looking on BBC! interesting.

[scimitar]

Thanks for that info., I was looking on BBC! interesting.

Here's the link for the BBC.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/scotland

Cammy

[Spitfire88]

P8s to be based at Lossiemouth

Interesting, I've not seen this fact confirmed anywhere yet, looking in the wrong place clearly!, where did you see this?

Sky news

[POL]

Not wanting to be left out, the BBC have now posted the same unconfirmed nonsense as Sky News - presumably taken from this very forum.

[C24]

FYI

http://www.navair.navy.mil/index.cfm?fu ... 8FBFB31B86

[100arw]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-p ... efence-kit

P.

[page_verify]

Well well, so much for the P-1 and the "Sea Hercules"!

Regardless of what the media said, there will only have been one option on the table. It was always going to be P-8 or nothing.

[Andy_99]

So have they worked out how to perform AAR with them ?

Booms on the voyagers or a prob on the P8

Booms on the voyager would mean we can refuel P8,s, the 135's & the C17's as well as other NATO assets.

[KINROTATE]

Maybe they won't want to AAR.

[Stroudy]

AAR probe and MAD boom (given the current Russian sub story again) seem essential and common sense to me? But could be making that big mistake again of assuming CS is involved.

Im not an expert but the P1 is purpose built and I hope it got a proper assessment and was eliminated only because the P-8 is 'better', but again, I suspect it was a done deal for political reasons?

[Agent K]

There is a probe fit on the E3, which being a 707 derived nose/fuselage, as is the 737 then perhaps engineering a probe installation for the P8 you wouldn't need to start from scratch?

[page_verify]

Stroudy - There'll have been specific security reasons why the P-8 ticked many boxes without needing any mods.