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The Indian Navy is the first international customer
for P-8I, based on the Boeing 737 commercial airplane,
a variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing is
developing for the US Navy.
Completion of the FDR on July 16 locks in the
design for the aircraft, radar, communications,
navigation, mission computing, acoustics and sensors,
as well as the ground and test support equipment,
Boeing announced in Seattle Monday.
It also paves the way for the programme to begin
assembling the first P-8I aircraft, the St. Louis
headquartered-Boeing Defence, Space & Security,
said.
"For P-8I, we are incorporating not only
India-unique design features, but also India-built
subsystems, so this agreement that the design
addresses all customer requirements is a huge
milestone," says Leland Wight, P-8I programme
manager for Boeing.
"It also leads us to the programme's next
stage: We are on track to start fabricating the
P-8I's empennage section before the end of this
year."
During the five-day FDR held recently in Renton,
Washington, Indian Navy officers met with Boeing
representatives from Defence, Space & Security
and Commercial Airplanes to review relevant design
information and performance against specifications.
"The P-8I's unique capabilities are tailored
to India's maritime-patrol requirements. It has
the reach and capability to defend India's vast
coastline and maritime waters," said Vivek
Lall, vice president and India country head, Boeing
Defence, Space and Security.
Boeing will deliver the first P-8I to India within
48 months of the original contract signing in
January 2009 and the remaining seven by 2015.
The Defence, Space & Security unit of the
Boeing Company is a $34 billion business, one
of the world's largest defence, space and security
businesses, and the world's largest and most versatile
manufacturer of military aircraft.
(IANS)
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