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Canada has formally lodged a letter of request (LOR) to the US State Department’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program to acquire a fleet of 16 Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft to replace the CP-140 Aurora fleet with a Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
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The Canadian government’s release stated, that, “The CP-140 Aurora fleet was originally procured in 1980, and the aircraft is currently scheduled to retire from service in 2030. Procuring a new fleet is required to ensure Canada’s military has the equipment it needs to continue protecting Canadian sovereignty along its coastline.”
A Boeing Defense, Space & Security spokesperson welcomed the announcement, saying, “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 US and Canadian governments to finalise this sale under the Foreign Military Sales process. Together with our Canadian industry partners ― CAE, GE Aviation Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defence, KF Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace Canada, Raytheon Canada, and StandardAero ― we are committed to delivering 100 per cent industrial and technological benefits that will significantly grow Canada’s aerospace and defense industry.”
This LOR comes following a formal Request for Information (RFI) released in February 2022 to obtain information from industry by the Canadian government.
The Canadian government said, “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. This platform is a proven capability that is operated by several of Canada’s defence partners including all of its Five Eyes allies — the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand — as well as Norway, and South Korea. Germany has also recently purchased this platform.”
Adding to this, the Canadian government said, “The issuance of a LOR does not commit Canada to purchasing the P-8A Poseidon and the project remains in Options Analysis. The final decision will be based on the capability offered, availability, pricing and benefits to Canadian industry.”
The P-8A is built specifically as a military aircraft. It is based on the proven commercial designs of Boeing’s 737-800 fuselage, but has been substantially modified to include:
- An internal weapons bay;
- Underwing and under fuselage hard points for weapons; and
- Increased strengthening for low level (down to 200 feet) operations and high-angle turns.
The P-8A aircraft has an extensive communications system including radios and data links across VHF, UHF, HF, and SATCOM.
These cutting-edge aircraft conduct a range of tasks including anti-submarine warfare; maritime and overland intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; electronic support; as well as supporting search and rescue missions. Poseidon is capable of broad-area maritime and littoral operations. It is also effective for humanitarian and search and rescue missions.
A derivative of the 737-800 Next Generation, the P-8 combines superior performance and reliability with an advanced mission system that ensures maximum interoperability in the future battle space.
The Australian government has approved the purchase of 12 P-8A Poseidon aircraft, which will replace the ageing fleet of P-3C Orion aircraft.
