Boeing’s P-8 Selected as Ideal Solution to Meet Canadian Maritime Requirements
The P-8, currently the only proven, in-service, and in-production solution that satisfies all Canadian Maritime Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) requirements, encompassing range, speed, endurance, and payload capacity, has been chosen as the ideal choice.
This decision is poised to yield substantial benefits for numerous Canadian companies and contribute to decades of prosperity in Canada through platform sustainment, facilitated by our Canadian industry partners.
The acquisition of the P-8 is expected to create nearly 3,000 jobs and generate an annual economic output of $358 million for Canada, as per an independent study conducted in 2023 by Doyletech Corporation, based in Ottawa.
Charles “Duff” Sullivan, Managing Director of Boeing Canada, expressed the significance of this development, stating, “This is a very important day for the Royal Canadian Air Force and for Boeing. The P-8 offers unmatched capabilities and is the most affordable solution in terms of acquisition and life-cycle sustainment costs. There’s no doubt the P-8 will safeguard Canada’s oceans and borders for future generations.”
Team Poseidon, a key component of Boeing’s P-8 Canadian industry partnership, includes prominent companies such as CAE, GE Aviation Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defense, KF Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace Canada, Raytheon Canada, and StandardAero. This collaboration builds upon the foundation of 81 existing Canadian suppliers to the P-8 platform and extends to more than 550 Boeing suppliers across all provinces. This contributes to an approximate CAD $4 billion in annual economic benefit to Canada, supporting over 14,000 jobs.
The P-8, a state-of-the-art maritime surveillance and defense aircraft, is engineered to detect and track enemy ships and submarines utilizing advanced electro-optical and acoustic sensors, radar, and equipment like sonobuoys.
This announcement brings an end to months of speculation and competition from Canada’s Bombardier. Bombardier had sought to compete with a military version of its Global 6500 jet, with the support of politicians in Quebec.
Bombardier, headquartered in Montreal, expressed its disappointment with the decision. Back in March, Ottawa had initiated discussions with Washington regarding the acquisition of Poseidons. They argued that Boeing’s aircraft was the sole option capable of meeting all their requirements.
Defence Minister Bill Blair stated during a news briefing in Ottawa, “We firmly believe that acquiring the only currently available capability is in the best interest of the public and national security.”
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne emphasized the government’s continued support for Bombardier but pointed out that the P-8 was already in operational use and in production, making it the practical choice.
Notably, the P-8 is already in operation among Canada’s Five Eyes allies, which include the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
With over 160 aircraft already delivered or in active service and boasting 560,000 collective flight hours, the P-8 has consistently demonstrated its capabilities in various areas, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief response.
Shimooka, a defense and foreign policy specialist, said a lengthy competition would also risk Boeing needing to end P-8 production due to insufficient demand, which would raise costs if Canada decided to order the plane in the future.
Boeing has said it will continue to make P-8s if there is “sufficient demand to maintain efficient and safe production.” Excluding Canada, Boeing says the backlog for P-8 orders is 20 planes, with 183 on contract and 163 delivered.
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, boeing.com