Boeing to provide Navy P-8A Poseidon patrol jet flight simulators in $225 million contract
PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md., 27 Sept. 2013. The Boeing Co. Defense, Space & Security segment in St. Louis will provide the U.S. Navy with 14 aircraft flight simulators and related support equipment for the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol jet under terms of a $225 million contract modification announced this week.
Boeing will provide six P-8A operational flight simulators (OFTs), six weapons tactics trainers (WTTs), and two part task trainers (PTTs), as well as one training systems support center, three 10-seat electronic classrooms, and one 20-seat electronic classroom for P-8A training.
The P-8A Poseidon is the latest Navy aircraft designed to execute long-range anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. It is replacing the P-3C Orion, which has been in operation for more than 50 years.
The P-8A OFT is a full-motion reproduction of the aircraft cockpit, which replicates the visual out-of-window display and cockpit noises. It simulates the systems, equipment features, and performance characteristics for pilot training.
As a stand-alone configuration, the WTT is for weapons and sensor employment, and communications training. When used together, the OFT and WTT form a weapons systems trainer for full aircrew mission training. The P-8A's PTT, meanwhile, is for individual or sub-team learning, practice, and refresher training.
Navy leaders, for the time being, will conduct P-8A training and simulation at Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Fla. P-8A squadrons will be based at Jacksonville NAS, Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Oak Harbor, Wash., and at several overseas bases for forward deployment.
On the contract awarded this week, Boeing will do the work in St. Louis; Tampa, Fla.; Whidbey Island, Wash.; Huntington Beach, Calif.; San Francisco; Long Island, N.Y.; Tulsa, Okla.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and in other locations throughout the U.S., and should be finished by March 2018.
For more information contact Boeing Defense, Space & Security online at www.boeing.com/boeing/bds, or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.
