The Royal Canadian Air Force has come to the conclusion that the Boeing P-8A Poseidon is the only maritime patrol aircraft capable of replacing its P-140 Aurora (P-3 Orion) turboprops.
Canada had requested in February 2022 that those interested in participating in the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) program send information on possible aircraft that could fulfill maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare missions.
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“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 [Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance],” said a statement issued by the agency of Canadian Government Public Services and Procurement.
Canada intends to acquire up to 16 P-8As, which are based on the 737-800 airliner. To this end, the government sent a Letter of Request (LOR) through the United States government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
Despite this, the government of Canada denied that it had committed to acquiring the aircraft from Boeing, which will only occur “based on the capability offered, availability, pricing and benefits to Canadian industry”.
“The P-8A is a proven multi-mission capability that meets all requirements and will protect Canada’s oceans and its borders for future generations. We look forward to working with the U.S. and Canadian governments to finalize this sale under the Foreign Military Sales process,” Boeing said in a statement.
The P-8A has won several tenders in recent years, as occurred in Germany in 2022, where it will replace the P-3 Orions in operation. The aircraft is also used by several nations close to Canada such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Norway and South Korea.
