P-8A Poseidon: Proven Multi-Mission Capability

The P-8A Poseidon is the only multi-mission aircraft currently in service and in production that is able to meet Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) requirements with its advanced anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities – in addition to search and rescue and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief response.

The P-8A is a derivative of the Boeing 737NG commercial airliner, featuring a reliable airframe and high-bypass turbo fan jet engines coupled with a state-of-the-art open architecture mission system. Open architecture and digital interfaces allow rapid and affordable future technology integration to meet evolving threats and diverse mission requirements. The proven flight management system and safety features of the 737NG cockpit, combined with additional military functions, enables unparalleled situational awareness by the entire flight crew.

With 155 aircraft delivered or in service, and having executed more than 450,000 collective mishap free flight-hours logged, the P-8A has proven its capability to operate in the harshest flight regimes including extended operations in extreme cold weather and icing environments. It can fly higher (up to 41,000 ft / 12,496 m) and get to the area of interest faster (490 knots / 970 km/h) than any other long range patrol aircraft. Shorter transit times reduce the size of the area of probability during search and rescue missions, and when searching for submarines or surface vessels. The P-8’s organic sensor capabilities are enhanced through secure, interoperable, data link systems that provide capability to exchange tactical data, control, and fully integrate with other allied and coalition ISR and ASW assets.

The P-8A offers a mature, proven, cost effective solution for rapidly delivering capability to secure Canada’s northern and maritime approaches and ensure NATO, Allied, and coalition tactical and logistical interoperability.

READ: CP8A Poseidon fleet is taking shape

Canadian Industry Benefit

Boeing has been a partner to Canada for more than 100 years, and has been delivering on its commitments since the beginning. For the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA), Boeing will commit to 100% Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) obligation and will work with our customer to structure a program that supports their goals and objectives. Through our industrial engagement plan, Boeing will help enable long-term sustainable growth and opportunities for Canadian industry through innovation and technology, enhanced global competitiveness, continued supplier development, and expanded export opportunities.

Building on our more than 100-year partnership with Canada, Boeing is committed to delivering a robust industry plan that will bring real, guaranteed jobs to companies all across Canada over the life of the CMMA program, should the P-8A Poseidon be selected by the Government of Canada.

Innovative Production Line

The P-8A Poseidon is a military derivative of the Boeing 737 Next Generation commercial airliner. Boeing uses a first-in-industry in-line production system to produce the P-8, leveraging the best of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Boeing Defense for development and production, and the power of Boeing Global Services for sustainment.

Since initial contract award, the program has reduced P-8A costs by more than 30% by leveraging production efficiencies and incorporating lean production improvements, which allowed Boeing to reduce production time by 50%.

It’s Official – Canada Buys the P-8A Poseidon

The Government of Canada has officially announced its plans to replace its fleet of CP-140 Auroras with Boeing’s P8-A Poseidon. According to a press-released issue by National Defence, Canada has finalized a government-to-government agreement with the United States (US) government for the acquisition of up to 16 P-8A Poseidon aircraft for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Fourteen multi-mission aircraft will be procured, with options for up to an additional two. The first P-8A should be delivered in 2026, and with an average of one aircraft delivered per month, all of the aircraft could be delivered as early as fall 2027. The government anticipates full operational capability by 2033. The estimated investment for this project is $10.4 billion CAD; it includes up to $5.9 billion USD for the P-8A, associated equipment, training devices and sustainment set-up. The balance will cover additional investments in simulators, infrastructure and weapons.

The announcement comes a day after it was reported that officials from the Department of National Defence quietly fast-tracked the removal of the Aurora aircraft from service by a decade. With recent upgrades, this aircraft was due to fly until 2040.

The Aurora fleet is Canada’s primary airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft. The Aurora provides a full range of maritime, littoral and overland surveillance capabilities for domestic and deployed missions in support of Canadian sovereignty and international objectives, as well as anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare. It has been modernized with a world-class integrated mission suite with state-of-the-art avionics, communications systems, computer networks, and sensors. These modernization efforts cost hundreds of millions of dollars and were only recently completed. This begs the question, why did Canada bother investing in this upgrade if they planned on replacing the fleet?

Canada Issues Letter of Request

On March 27, 2023, the federal government released its ‘Statement on the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) for the Royal Canadian Air Force’. “As part of its defence policy Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Government of Canada is seeking to replace the CP-140 Aurora fleet with a Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The CP-140 Aurora fleet was originally procured in 1980, and the aircraft is currently scheduled to retire from service in 2030,” the statement from Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) said.

“A Request for Information (RFI) was released in February 2022 to obtain information from industry,” the PSPC statement continued. “Following engagements with industry and Canada’s closest allies, the government has determined that the P-8A Poseidon is the only currently available aircraft that meets all of the CMMA operational requirements, namely anti-submarine warfare and C4ISR. With a view to exploring this option in more detail, Canada has recently submitted a Letter of Request (LOR) through the United States government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program outlining Canada’s requirements and requesting an offer. These requirements include up to 16 P-8A Poseidon aircraft and associated equipment and initial servicing, as well as access to intellectual property and technical data.”

The RCAF’s first Block IV modified CP-140 Aurora prepares for flight “The issuance of a LOR does not commit Canada to purchasing the P-8A Poseidon and the project remains in Options Analysis,” the PSPC statement concluded. “The final decision will be based on the capability offered, availability, pricing and benefits to Canadian industry.”

Bombardier & GDMS-C Propose the Global 6500

This news, while unfortunate, probably does not come as a shock to Canada’s Multi-Mission Aircraft Team, which is a teaming between Bombardier Defense and General Dynamics Mission Systems – Canada (GDMS-C). It was announced on May 18th that Bombardier and GDMS-C partnered to form ‘Canada’s Multi-Mission Aircraft Team’ to bid on what they hoped would be a competitive, open, and transparent procurement process. According to the May 18th press-release “The aircraft will host General Dynamics’ best-in-class integrated mission systems, drawing directly from Canada’s investment in the newly modernized CP-140 Block IV and CH-148 Cyclone. This operationally proven Canadian design forms the basis for the iterative and low risk integration of modernized sensors and systems enabling Canada to leap even further ahead of peers and adversaries alike. This future-proof foundation will also ensure continued operational relevance, responding to Canada’s emergent needs through the middle of this century.”

READ: COVER STORY – BOMBARDIER DEFENSE – OFFERING A HOME-GROWN SOLUTION FOR CMMA

At the recent Canadian Aerospace Summit in Ottawa, which is presented by AIAC, Bombardier President and CEO, Eric Martel, made the case for his company’s militarized Global 6500 business jet to be allowed to compete against Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon for the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) contract. “We have the ability here in Canada to meet our own needs, to leverage our own innovation,” he said. “Again, Bombardier is not asking that anyone give us the contract. We simply want a chance to compete.”

Boeing’s P-8

While there is much controversy surrounding the purchase of the P-8A Poseidon, it cannot be denied that the P-8A Poseidon is an impressive aircraft. The P-8A Poseidon, a proven military off-the-shelf multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft which is arguably one of the most advanced and capable solutions in the world today. The Poseidon offers advanced anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and search and rescue capability, and is the only non-developmental, in-service, in-production multi-mission aircraft that meets all CMMA requirements.

Boeing currently has an order book of 183 P-8 aircraft, and has produced and/or delivered 155 aircraft as of Febuary 2023. Six nations currently operate the P-8, with South Korea soon to receive its first aircraft; and Germany being the most recent nation to select the P-8.

In proposing the P-8 Poseidon as their solution for CMMA, Boeing leads Team Poseidon, a pan-Canadian industrial team consisting of CAE, GE Aviation Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defence, KF Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace Canada, Raytheon Canada, and StandardAero.

Team Poseidon builds on 81 Canadian suppliers to the platform and to more than 550 Canadian suppliers across all provinces contributing to Boeing’s annual $5.3 billion CAD in economic benefit to Canada, supporting more than 20,000 Canadian jobs.

The 81 Canadian companies that are suppliers to the P-8, build commercial 737 NG parts and some supply parts which are unique to the P-8. In all, it results in over $10 million USD of Canadian content on every P-8 that has ever been built. That means that Canada has already received more than $1.5 billion in economic benefits.

“In today’s complex global environment, Canada requires a military that is capable of protecting our country well into the future. We are committed to ensuring that our current and future aviators have the most advanced equipment possible to do just that. Canada requires a multi-mission fleet to contribute to the safety and security of Canadians and protect the sovereignty of a country with the longest coastline in the world. The Boeing P-8A Poseidon is the right aircraft to fulfil this role.” The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence.

Boeing has invested $10.3 million to benefit Solace Power Inc. to expand its aerospace footprint and bolster economic growth in Atlantic Canada. The strategic investment is part of Boeing’s Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) commitment to Canada for its selection of Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon to fulfill its long-range multi-mission aircraft role.

READ: COVER STORY – BOEING’S P8-A POSEIDON 

Boeing P-8 Poseidon

Perfectly Suited for Canada’s Defence and Foreign Affairs Strategies

By Joetey Attariwala

The Government of Canada’s newly released Indo-Pacific strategy offers a remarkably frank assessment of the evolving security environment in calling out China’s “rapid and dramatic modernization of the People’s Liberation Army, including its including its offensive technological capabilities and geographic reach” and North Korea’s, “increasingly frequent and reckless testing of missiles.” These facts, coupled with the security and economic impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the Euro-Atlantic theater, portend a new urgency for Canadian defence and foreign affairs to adapt and respond. 

The Canadian Government has defined a requirement to replace its aging fleet of CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft (a variant of the P-3 Orion) — which consists of 14 aircraft that have been in service since the early 1980s — with a newer multi-mission platform defined under the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) project.

In February 2022, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), on behalf of the Department of National Defence (DND), issued a Request for Information (RFI) which sought input from industry and other stakeholders on the High Level Mandatory Requirements (HLMR) and capability requirements pertaining to the replacement of the Aurora fleet, including industry’s interest, capability and experience to provide a long-range, long-endurance, multi-mission aircraft that meet these requirements.

The CMMA aircraft will be required by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) to provide the following minimum operational capabilities: Command, Control, Communications, Computers (C4), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) (C4ISR); Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW); Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW); Communications Relay; Network Extension; Overland  Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR); and Search and Rescue (SAR).

Boeing’s solution for CMMA is the long range P-8A Poseidon, a proven military off-the-shelf multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft which is arguably the most advanced and capable solution in the world today. The Poseidon offers advanced anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and search and rescue capability, and is the only non-developmental, in-service, in-production multi-mission aircraft that meets all CMMA requirements.

Boeing currently has an order book of 183 P-8 aircraft, and has produced and/or delivered 155 aircraft as of the writing of this article. Six nations currently operate the P-8, with South Korea soon to receive its first aircraft; and Germany being the most recent nation to select the P-8.

Genesis for a new generation of Maritime Patrol Aircraft

In 2000 the United States Navy initiated its Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft program which sought to replace its fleet of turboprop P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft with a new and more capable platform. After a competitive process, The Boeing Company was awarded a contract in 2004 to develop its P-8 Poseidon solution, after which the first flight occurred in April 2009.

To develop the P-8 and achieve initial operational capability, Boeing along with the United States Navy, spent 9 years and over USD $7 billion to convert the 737-800NG (Next-Generation) aircraft into the P-8A Poseidon aircraft which exists today. This means that every subsequent customer reaps the benefits of that massive investment in non-recurring engineering. This fact cannot be understated as the cost of converting another aircraft into a military derivative which could satisfy CMMA HLMR is technically daunting, costly, and would likely take a decade or more to come to fruition.

When it comes to the aforementioned HLMR, only a few existing modern platforms come anywhere close to matching the capabilities of the multi-mission P-8 Poseidon with its state-of-the-art radars, sensors and air-to-air refueling capability.

The P-8A incorporates an integrated sensor suite that includes radar, electro-optical, and electronic signal detection sensors to provide search, detection, location, tracking, and targeting capability against surface targets. An integrated acoustic sonobuoy launch and monitoring system provides search, detection, location, tracking, and targeting capability against submarine targets. Sensor systems also provide tactical situational awareness information for dissemination to fleet forces and ISR information for exploitation by the intelligence community.

Designed with growth from the outset, the P-8A will receive periodic future enhancements to keep pace with threats and evolving technologies. In fact, the first US Navy P-8A Increment 3 Block 2 aircraft, which is assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20, is currently undergoing testing in the anechoic chamber at Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Maryland. This is the first large post-production modification to the P-8 bringing significant new ASW sensor capabilities and upgrades to mission system architectures on the platform.

“The P-8A Poseidon offers a unique opportunity for the Royal Canadian Air Force today in that all of the development costs have been paid by other P-8 customers,” said Sean Liedman, director of International Business Development for Mobility & Surveillance aircraft, Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “By its non-developmental nature, P-8 offers an affordable solution that could protect and defend Canada for future generations.”

P-8 and Canadian content

The strength of Canada’s Aerospace sector is recognized in the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy through Key Industrial Capabilities of Aerospace Systems and Components, Training and Simulation, Electro-Optical / Infrared (EO/IR) Systems, In-Service Support and Defence Systems Integration. As such, the RFI issued by Canada sought information on how industry might engage Canadian capabilities for the CMMA procurement.

In proposing the P-8 Poseidon as their solution for CMMA, Boeing leads Team Poseidon, a pan-Canadian industrial team consisting of CAE, GE Aviation Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defence, KF Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace Canada, Raytheon Canada, and StandardAero.

Team Poseidon builds on 81 Canadian suppliers to the platform and to more than 550 Canadian suppliers across all provinces contributing to Boeing’s annual CAD $5.3 billion in economic benefit to Canada, supporting more than 20,000 Canadian jobs.

“As a dedicated partner of Canadian industry for more than a century, Boeing is proud to bring together a world-class team of companies in support of our P-8 offering to Canada,” said Heidi Grant, president, Business Development, Boeing Defense, Space & Security and Government Services. “Together, we will bolster Canada’s aerospace and defence industry through a 100% Industrial and Technical Benefits commitment if awarded the CMMA contract.”

The 81 Canadian companies that are suppliers to the P-8 build commercial 737 NG parts and some supply parts which are unique to the P-8 — in all it results in over USD $10 million of Canadian content on every P-8 that has ever been built. That means that Canada has already received more than $1.5 billion of economic benefit just from the supply chain to manufacture the P-8.

Allied Interoperability and Interchangeability

According to the RFI, the CMMA capability must have the ability to conduct limited, unsupported operations for a short period. This includes being able to deploy at short notice with minimal logistics or tactical support.

The P-8 is fully capable of deploying in such a manner, because although it is built from the ground up as a military aircraft, it retains “86% commonality” with the ubiquitous 737 NG, as stated by Perry Yaw, Senior Manager, Business Development for Mobility and Surveillance at Boeing. This key fact enables high P-8 serviceability rates when compared to other Maritime Patrol Aircraft, and the ability to deploy with high assurance that parts and supplies for flight critical components are readily accessible around the globe.

The P-8 Poseidon is the only modern maritime patrol platform that is deployed across various NATO allies and all Five Eyes partners (with the exception of Canada), which means these operators benefit from interoperability and from a robust global supply chain and support network which is already established, and that makes operating the P-8 vastly more sensible than other solutions.

Australia was the first Five Eyes export nation, after which the United Kingdom and New Zealand formalized their acquisitions. These acquisitions have enabled the Five Eyes partners to train P-8 personnel with each other’s services.

The Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Seedcorn program is a prime example — it saw RAF aircrew, maintainers, and technicians embedded within US Navy P-8 squadrons. This symbiotic relationship assisted the RAF with the introduction of the P-8 weapon system, and provided a core of experienced personnel to operate UK Poseidon aircraft and bring them to Initial Operational Capability relatively soon after delivery.

This interoperability is essential in modern multi-domain operations as allied nations often work in concert with one another. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) partnership between the United States and Canada is a prime example where the respective militaries work together day-in and day-out. Whether in training exercises or on deployed operations, it is not uncommon for US Navy maritime patrol squadrons to hand off surface or subsurface contacts to RCAF maritime patrol squadrons, and vice versa. This process is complex due to differing platforms and their sensor and communications systems, however sharing information would be vastly improved if all Five Eyes partners field the P-8.

Speaking about interchangeability, Liedman said: “If you show up with a P-8 in peacetime, you are automatically interoperable and frankly interchangeable and can leverage your allies tools, support equipment, and supply chains. And if you think about a wartime context where an adversary is trying to deny your supply chains, you can’t just count on your own national supply chains being sufficiently protected in order to sustain your deployed operations. So therein lies the benefit of P-8 interchangeability for Canada.”

Versatility and Deployability

The CMMA capability must also be able to perform a variety of different missions and roles consecutively and/or concurrently within the same aircraft configuration, to allow for in-flight re-tasking. For example, the CMMA could conduct an ASuW mission, followed by an ASW mission or joint fires support ashore, and then be re-tasked into a Search and Rescue (SAR) mission to deploy survival equipment to assist locating survivors prior to returning to its main operating base — all while performing C4ISR functions throughout the flight. For all these requirements, the P-8’s standard configuration has the sensors and communications suite to carry out all tasks without reconfiguration, and always retains the capacity to carry weapons.

Some missions may however require specific capabilities that could lead to variations in that configuration, for example, special operations. For instances like this, Boeing offers a novel solution with its internally funded Multi-Mission Pod (MMP) for the P-8. Designed to be carried on the belly of the P-8, the MMP is perfectly suited to house plug-and-play sensors and systems. This exquisite capability enables operators to add capability without having to permanently modify and certify an aircraft.

“It’s a roll-on roll-off capability which you can upload or download at the squadron level without the need for special technicians,” said Liedman. “It’s a true force multiplier. Think of the ISTAR capability — if you build an airplane with an integrated sensor suite, then it’s unavailable any time the aircraft is in maintenance. If you have a roll-on roll-off solution like the Multi-Mission Pod, it increases the operational availability of the capability because it doesn’t need to spend needless time in the depot when the host airframe is undergoing maintenance because you would just roll it to another airplane.”

Coverage for Canada and beyond

The CMMA is expected to have the ability to conduct multiple 24/7 operations at the edges of Canada’s Areas of Responsibility (AOR) simultaneously from a Main Operating Base or Forward Operating Location with sufficient responsiveness to reach the edge of the AOR within four hours, and with sufficient un-refueled endurance for each sortie to remain on-station for at least four hours, and to return to base. The most restrictive range to be considered for this requirement is 1,178 nautical miles (the distance between CFB Comox to the Western edge of Canada’s domestic AOR). In addition, the CMMA must be capable of slower on-station speeds to conduct four hours of operation, which includes the continuous tracking of surface and subsurface contacts.

Again, the P-8 is suited to that requirement, as acknowledged by The Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation in the United States: P-8A aircraft flight performance meets or exceeds operational requirements and fully supports execution of the ASW, ASuW, and ISR concept of operations. The aircraft can effectively self-deploy from main operating base locations to primary theater deployment sites and sustain long-term operations at more remote forward operating locations. Unrefueled range exceeds 4,000 nautical miles and increased transit speeds results in decreased response times and longer on-station times as compared to the legacy P-3C (of which the CP-140 Aurora is a variant).

Most-Advanced Weapons Capabilities

According to the Government, the CMMA capability must be capable of detecting, targeting, engaging and destroying specific threats. To achieve this, the CMMA must be capable of carrying and employing an appropriate combination of tailored kinetic and non-kinetic weapons and effects, both surface and non-surface. It will also be able to precisely deliver those weapons in adverse weather conditions, day and night, in permissive and non-permissive environments, and either overland or overwater (surface and subsurface).

The current weapons fit for the P-8 is the MK 54 torpedo, the AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship cruise missile, and various sea mines, however there are significant new weapons capabilities coming to the P-8 in addition to its existing capacity to enable manned-unmanned teaming.

NAVAIR recently awarded Boeing a contract to integrate the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) to the P-8A. LRASM dramatically increases the anti-ship striking range of the P-8A. In addition, the US Navy’s High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC) has achieved initial operational capability. HAAWC is a new technique of delivering the MK 54 torpedo from a P-8 at higher altitudes and longer ranges than conventional low-altitude employment. This solution sees the MK 54 mated to an Air Launch Accessory (ALA) wing kit.. In this configuration, the ALA glides the MK 54 down to an acceptable altitude and then releases the torpedo to an intended torpedo entry point as assigned by the P-8 combat system.

P-8 Optimized for Canada

As one can see, the P-8 is well suited to fulfill all the HLMR of the CMMA project which is defined in Canada’s Defence Policy: Strong, Secure, Engaged. In addition, Canada’s new Indo-Pacific Strategy  presents a comprehensive road map to deepen Canada’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific over the next decade, and is meant to increase contributions to regional peace and security. The Strategy states that as great power competition deepens in the region, inter-state tensions are also on the rise, all of which threaten regional peace and prosperity. This of course is of great importance to Canada as the Indo-Pacific region is a major trading partner, so regional stability and adherence to the international rule of law is of paramount importance. Maritime patrol aircraft like the P-8 are instrumental in providing ISR and maintaining / protecting sea lanes of commerce and communication.

The Indo-Pacific Strategy outlines five interconnected strategic objectives and states that  Canada will invest in an enhanced military presence, along with intelligence and cyber security, to promote security in the region and ensure the safety of Canadians. In all these instances, the P-8 Poseidon, with its long-range, advanced sensors and weapons capability is perfectly suited to enable Canada’s strategies for defence and foreign affairs.