UK Defence Forum

^ New artists impression of the RAF P-8A Poseidon

SKB wrote:^ New artists impression of the RAF P-8A Poseidon

It looks great...but can't help but think it would look better in hemp...

Or better still in FAA colours.

Timmymagic wrote:It looks great...but can't help but think it would look better in hemp...

As long as it doesn't come out brown like a one Nimrod xv 246 . A K A the flying t***.

Better than the goose entrails stripes it went in with!! The dents apparently took a while to hammer out!

With all of the Seedcorn instructor crews already operational on US P-8 there must now be a fairly decent sized MPA crew set up in place already. 2 new crews qualified, with 2-3 already operational under Seedcorn with another 2 more in the pipeline. P-8 will probably be the smoothest introduction to service ever.

Great cockpit shots, particularly the low level one.

SKB wrote:
^ New artists impression of the RAF P-8A Poseidon

The nose is painted black and not grey- looking at the boeing production photograph s posted on Twitter.

Blink and its done

Edit: I got this from Gabriele's twitter

Poseidon MRA.1 - 01

(Woody's Aeroimages)

ZP 801 !

In the last picture, at the back of the tail, is that where the retractable MAD probe/boom would have been fitted?

Looks like it, you can see that it is much longer on the P-8 Neptune, I wonder if it can be retrofitted to any P-8?

Why is there no MAD boom on the standard p8? Is it cos it’s designed to be mostly high altitude or were methods seen to be more effective?

cky7 wrote:Why is there no MAD boom on the standard p8? Is it cos it’s designed to be mostly high altitude or were methods seen to be more effective?

USN decided to save the weight/cost. Bouys and other detectors (hydrocarbon detector) were judged adequate, and yes it was envisioned to do more at higher altitude.

Wouldn't a MAD Boom be useful in shallower water found in littoral regions? Also how effective are hydrocarbon detectors against conventional AIP boats?

Good question.

I struggle to believe they are at all effective. I've used a handheld sniffer and couldn't pinpoint the source of a leak from 2 meters away. I can't imagine doing the same over 10km with loads of other traffic around would yield any usable results.

Boeing rolls out first British P-8A Poseidon MPA

According to pictures released on Boeing UK & Ireland Twitter account, the first Poseidon MRA Mk.1 (P-8A) Maritime Patrol Aircraft being built for the RAF is now painted and undergoing pre-flight preparations for its maiden flight.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... eidon-mpa/

The 2nd aircraft is due for delivery in January 2020.

~Penny Mordaunt - 08JUL19

6 monthly intervals? After a gap of nearly 9 years already, it seems painfully slow. At that rate, we won't have the (still inadequate) fleet of 9 for another 4 years. An absolute disgrace.

Slow is the new norm for deliveries of all new kit for he Armed Forces these days. Imagine what it is going to be like if and when we replace the L85A3!

Lord Jim wrote:Slow is the new norm for deliveries of all new kit for he Armed Forces these days. Imagine what it is going to be like if and when we replace the L85A3!

It's the consequence of straitened procurement budgets. It costs less on the annual basis in which the budgets are based. Though because it's spread over a longer term the full cost is higher and it pushes other procurement projects further down the line or means that they've got to be extended further. If you're not careful it could turn in to a bit of a death spiral.

First flight of RAF’s Poseidon MRA.1 / 01 !

Pride of Moray