The first of five Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft ordered by Norway performed its maiden flight from Renton Municipal Airport to Boeing Field in Seattle on August 9, 2021.
“This inaugural flight is an important milestone for Norway, and the Boeing team remains committed to delivering the P-8 fleet to the NDMA on schedule,” said Christian Thomsen, P-8 Europe program manager. “The P-8 is a capability that will help Norway improve anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and search-and-rescue missions, in addition to fostering valuable regional collaboration and interoperability with NATO nations.”
The first P-8A Poseidon aircraft is expected to reach the Royal Norwegian Air Force later in 2021. The five maritime patrol aircraft on order will replace Norway’s current fleet of six P-3 Orions and three DA-20 Jet Falcons. They will operate from a new purpose-built facility at Evenes Air Station, north of the country.
The P-8 Poseidon is a multi-role maritime patrol aircraft, equipped with a naval search radar for search and tracking capability. Based on the fuselage of the Boeing 737-800, with the wings of the -900, it is powered by two CFM56-7B engines from CFM International, giving it a range of 5,900 kilometers (3,666 miles). It can also be fitted, both internally and externally, with an array of armaments dedicated to submarine and anti-ship warfare, such as torpedoes, mines, depth charges, and anti-ship missiles.
Boeing has delivered 136 P-8 aircraft to date. It is already operated by the US Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Indian Navy, and the British Royal Air Force. Along with Norway, the maritime patrol aircraft was also selected by South Korea, New Zealand, and Germany