P-8 Multimission Maritime Aircraft

From Free net encyclopedia

(Difference between revisions)

Revision as of 15:21, 13 April 2006
N328KF (Talk | contribs)
/* Foreign involvement */ Indian Navy
Next diff →

Current revision

Boeing Multimission Maritime Aircraft
Image:Boeing MMA Prototype.jpg Boeing MMA Prototype
Description
Role	Antisubmarine warfare (ASW) and Antisurface warfare (ASuW)
Crew	Flight: 2 Mission: ?
First Flight	2009 (Projected)
Entered Service	2013 (Projected)
Base Platform	737-800ERX
Manufacturer	Airframe: Boeing Commercial Airplanes Systems: Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
Dimensions
Length	126 ft 6 in	38.56 m
Wingspan	117 ft 6 in	35.81 m
Height	42 ft 1 in	12.83 m
Wing area
Weights
Empty	138,300 lb	62,730 kg
Loaded	lb	kg
Maximum takeoff	184,700 lb	83,780 kg
Fuel capacity	75,169 lb	34,096 kg
Powerplant
Engines	2 × CFMI CFM56-7B turbofans
Power	2 × 27,000 lbf	2 × 120 kN
Performance
Maximum speed	563 mph	906 km/h
Combat range	mi	km
Ferry range	mi	km
Service ceiling	41,000 ft	12,500 m
Rate of climb	ft/min	m/min
Wing loading	lb/ft²	kg/m²
Thrust/Weight
Power/Mass	hp/lb
Avionics
Avionics	Raytheon APS-137 surface search radar and SIGINT package
Armament
Bombs	lb	kg
Missiles
Rockets
Other

Image:MMA.jpg

The P-8A Multimission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) is intended to search for and destroy submarines, conduct shipping interdiction, and also possibly engage in an electronic intelligence (ELINT) role. This will involve carrying torpedoes, depth charges, Harpoon anti-shipping missiles, and other weapons. It will also be able to drop and monitor sonobuoys. It is designed to operate in conjunction with the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle.

1 Overview
2 Foreign involvement
3 Signals intelligence
4 References
5 External links

[edit]

Overview

The MMA's predecessor, the Lockheed P-3 Orion ASW aircraft has been in service with the U.S. Navy since 1961. In the mid-1980s the Navy began studies for a replacement aircraft for the P-3 which has lost range/time on station capabilities due to increasing weight and is approaching the end of its fatigue life. The Navy specification also required reduced operating and support costs. In 1989 the Navy awarded a fixed-price contract to Lockheed to design and build two prototype aircraft, to be designated the P-7. This project was cancelled in 1990 following a $300 million cost overrun by Lockheed and resulting delays.

Boeing IDS and Lockheed Martin were part of a new competition for a replacement aircraft begun in 2000. Lockheed submitted the Orion 21, an updated, but new-build, version of the P-3 turboprop, based upon the Electra airliner, and Boeing submitted a proposal centered around their 737-800ERX airliner. BAE Systems withdrew from the competition in October 2002, recognising the political reality that the failure to find a US-based production partner made the bid unrealistic. BAE were offering a new build version of the Nimrod, the UK's jet powered maritime patrol aircraft since 1969.

On June 14, 2004, Boeing won the competition.<ref name="boeing_20040514">"Boeing Team Wins $3.89 Billion Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft Program," Boeing press release.</ref> Initial operating capability is expected to be 2013. The project is expected to be for at least 108 airframes for the U.S. Navy alone, and perhaps more to other nations operating over 200 P-3s. Project value is expected to be worth at least $15 billion, or as much as $45 billion. Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Smiths Aerospace, and CFMI are subcontractors.

The MMA will be based upon the same airframe as the C-40 Clipper and T-43. The aircraft is designated P-8, which is the next in series from the aborted P-7 project. The P-8 is unique in that it has 767-400ER-style raked wingtips, instead of the blended winglets available on other 737NG variants.

The U.S. Navy placed an order for 5 MMA aircraft on July 8, 2004. No delivery date has been specified as of yet. The first three aircraft will be test aircraft, and will be converted to production standards at a later date.

In U.S. service the MMA will be complemented by the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance UAV system, which will provide continuous surveillance. The system is expected to enter service around the end of the decade. Around 40 UAVs will be based at five sites — Hawaii; Diego Garcia; NAS Jacksonville, Florida; NAS Kadena, Japan and Sigonella, Italy. Either the Global Hawk or Predator UAVs seem likely to fulfill the requirement.

[edit]

Foreign involvement

Australia is following the MMA project closely, holding observer status. Australia wishes to replace its AP-3C Orion fleet by 2015 and it seems likely that this will be a mixture of a maritime patrol aircraft and UAVs (e.g. Global Hawk). The latter is especially likely, since Australia appears to have budgeted, and potentially paid for, several maritime UAVs.

The Department of Defense wants to follow a program template similar to that of the Joint Strike Fighter program, with international cooperation from prospective MMA users. This would include many of the fifteen nations that currently use the P-3. The MMA project should avoid one of the major problems of the JSF, that of technology transfer. The MMA, while incorporating much high technology, would not include such proprietary and sensitive characteristics as stealth technology. Of all the JSF partners only the UK is enjoying significant technology transfer, and even this is limited.

Italy has been strongly tipped for a purchase of a total of 14 Wedgetail and MMA aircraft, with fleet support provided by Alitalia.<ref name="avweek_20040621">Aviation Week & Space Technology, June 21, 2004.</ref> Canada, Italy, and Australia will each pay $300 million in order to have first-tier participation in the MMA project.<ref name="addr_20041105">"U.S. Navy Eyes Three Nations For Possible Role In MMA", Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, November 5, 2004.</ref> This may or may not involve workshare agreements. However, with Boeing Australia already participating in the related Wedgetail development, some level of offset seems likely.

Boeing has also proposed the P-8A to the Indian Navy, to replace that service's Il-38 'May' platform.<ref name="busstd_20060413">"Boeing offers eight P-8As to Indian Navy." Business Standard. April 13, 2006.</ref>

[edit]