# Boeing P-8



## Jammer (5 Aug 2006)

For the Air force types out there:
Possible replacement for the Aurora?
The Wedgetail might be a good one to have as well. (Aussie AWACS)


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## Ex-Dragoon (6 Aug 2006)

Perhaps aesop can answer this one but do not jet powered MPAs have a much shorter on station time then turbo props? It seems to me from previous exercises that RAF Nimroods tended to be RTB'd sooner then P3s/CP140s and Atlantiques....


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## Jammer (7 Aug 2006)

The P-8 is based on the the 737-800 airframe.
Dash time to target is definitley faster and with the newer CFM-56 engines, loiter time over the search area is increased as well.
More and better search avionics, more and better wpn payload...less maint as well


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## aesop081 (7 Aug 2006)

Lets see, where do i start ?

1 - There is no replacement for the CP-140.  AIMP continues unabated until the CDS shitcans the fleet because we cannot afford ASLEP and other issues well above my pay grade.

2- Remember that the P-8 is an aircraft born out of desperation.  The original program to replace the P-3 Orion, the P-7 was cancelled post-cold war because it was felt that ASW was dead and the money could be used elsewhere ( the P-3 fleet has been busier than ever).  This was based on the Orion airframe with various improvements, more efficient engines, etc,etc....  The program having been cancelled put the US Navy PATRON fleet in a serious bind, to the point that, currently, the P-3 fleetis being retired at such a rate that the last one will be gone well before the first P-8 is on the line of the FRS.  This is the setting that brough about the P-8 program....

3- The cost of the P-8 aircraft is a major issue for us, IMHO.  We can barely afford  AIMP and ASLEP programs, much less a new aicraft as expensive as the P-8.  Dont forget as well that there is much more to buying a new plane than just parking them on the flightline at 14 and 19 Wing.

Now, dont get me wrong.  I would love to have my hands on a new LRPA but i'm being realistic.  The army has the attention of everyone these days ( prtly for very good reasons) so what we do for a living has gone unnoticed.  Our missions arent understood by most Canadians and rarely spoken of by people in high places. Some in the air force have subscribed to this "UAVs can do everything" theory and feel that the LRPA mission can be done with those machines.  The end of the cold war was also a big kick in the proverbial nuts IMHO but unfortunately , ASW has not and never will go away, ASuW remains a significant role for us as well.  With some new kit we can also take on overland ISR roles ( sore spot for me right now).  Anyways, all this to say that it adds up to NO MONEY for the CF LRPA fleet.


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## Good2Golf (7 Aug 2006)

Aesop, welcome to the hell world that is adults higher up the chain thinking UAV's can do it all!

*sigh* If only we could find a UAV to functionally replace 101 Col. By and 1 Cdn Air Div....  ;D


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## NCRCrow (7 Aug 2006)

The Dutch sold all there P-3 to the Germans and replaced them with UAV's.................and the Germans ditched all there Atlantiques to the Italians


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## aesop081 (7 Aug 2006)

HFXCrow said:
			
		

> The Dutch sold all there P-3 to the Germans and replaced them with UAV's



The Dutch just gave a 10 year contract to Privincial aerospace (PAL) of St-John's for conducting maritime patrol of the Dutch antillies.   Guess UAVs can't do it all eh ?


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## NCRCrow (8 Aug 2006)

But it still boils down to doing things cheaper such as contracting out Dash-8's from PAL. It means that "Hato" and the all the tech, operators, marines, cooks, plumbers etc etc are going home and thus big savings for Holland. We worked with them on Carib OPS/ UNITAS in 96/99 and 2001 (IRO).

The commitment in Curacao is based on an agreement to aid the US on the War on drugs. ($$$) The Dutch would of went home a long time if it was not for US dollars.  

UAV's cannot do it all, but their future as a cheaper C4ISR asset is only getting brighter.

My humble opinion is that UAV's are cheap/expendable and will have a greater role that will impact the MPA community.

AESOP u will still have a job in Canada for a long time............


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## Jammer (8 Aug 2006)

What was the outcome of the ALIX Predator trials?


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