The first P-8A Poseidon fuselage for Norway arrived on April 12, 2021 at Boeing facilities in Renton, Washington, from Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kansas, marking a major milestone in the production of the first of five Poseidons for the Royal Norwegian Air Force.

A derivative of the Boeing 737 Next-Generation commercial aircraft, the P-8 Poseidon is first assembled at Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ 737 production line, where the fuselage receives additional wiring and systems needed to support military components, equipment and operation. The aircraft is then delivered to Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security unit for the installation of military systems, testing and delivery to military customers.

«Boeing uses a proven in-line production process to efficiently build the aircraft», said Christian Thomsen, P-8A Poseidon Europe program manager. «Implementing established best practices and common, commercial production-system tools enables the team to reduce flow time and cost while ensuring quality and on-time delivery to our customers».

Norway is expected to receive its first P-8 Poseidon later this year. In total, five P-8s will eventually replace Norway’s current fleet of six P-3 Orions and three DA-20 Jet Falcons and will provide advanced capabilities to maintain situational awareness in neighboring waters on and below the surface of the ocean.

To date, Boeing has delivered 104 P-8 Poseidon aircraft to the U.S. Navy and customers in Australia, India and the United Kingdom.

 

Technical Specifications

Wing Span	123.6 feet/37.64 m
Height	42.1 feet/12.83 m
Length	129.5 feet/39.47 m
Propulsion	2 × CFM56-7B engines
	27,000 lbs./12,237 kgf/120 kN thrust
Speed	490 knots/564 mph/908 km/h
Range	1,200 NM/1,381 miles/2,222 km with 4 hours on station
Ceiling	41,000 feet/12,496 m
Crew	9
Maximum Take-Off Gross Weight	189,200 lbs./85,820 kg