Brahmand NewsPrevious Article
Aero India 2023

HAL to supply weapons bay door to Boeing for P-8I aircraft


The P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft. A Boeing Photo

NEW DELHI (BNS): American defence major Boeing has inked a deal with India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited under which the latter will provide weapons bay door for the eight P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft India is acquiring from the US.

Under the $4.7 million contract, HAL will supply the first set of doors to Boeing by the end of 2010, Boeing announced here on Thursday.

“Although HAL provides other equipment for P-8I through its avionics division in Hyderabad, this is the first P-8I offset package that Boeing has directly executed with India's largest aerospace company,” Vivek Lall, vice president and India country head of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, said.

“We welcome HAL's technical expertise and capabilities as well as the opportunity to increase our partnership on P-8I,” he said.

Besides providing equipment for the P-8Is, HAL also supplies Boeing the gun bay doors and wire harnesses for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft and uplock boxes for 777 commercial airplane, Boeing said.

The P-8I is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft. It is armed with torpedoes, depth bombs and Harpoon anti-ship missiles and is capable of anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare.

The aircraft can also be used in search and rescue operations, maritime interdiction, long-range intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance.

India became the first customer of the P-8I when it signed a $2.1 billion contract with the US in January 2009 to procure eight such aircraft.

The first aircraft is expected to be delivered to the Navy in 2013.

Other Related News

BRAHMOS Missile Systems

Headlines

Brahmand World Defence Update 2023

Brahmand World Defence Update

Image Gallery