India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday cleared the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter aircraft and six Poseidon 8I (P8I) aircraft for the Indian Navy.
Well aware of the challenges posed by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) submarine patrols—which increasingly adopt longer endurance profiles and more complex deployment patterns—the Indian Navy has reportedly pushed for the procurement of more Poseidons. This is to ensure they are capable of keeping vigil across vast regions of the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and other key checkpoints. Codenamed "Neptune", the Indian Navy currently operates a fleet of 12 Boeing P-8I Poseidons.
More than 160 P-8 aircraft are in service across the globe and have together accumulated more than 500,000 flight hours. Besides India and the US, P-8s are operating in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Canada, and Germany.
If you think you have heard a lot about Rafale jets but very little about Poseidon 8I aircraft, here are five things that will surprise you:
1. Multimission Capability The Boeing P-8 Poseidon is a multimission maritime patrol aircraft capable of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, maritime domain awareness, and search and rescue operations.
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2. Range and Endurance Fitted with an in-flight refuelling system, Boeing claims that the P-8’s endurance and range allow it to conduct extended patrols over vast expanses of water. As far as the Indian Navy is concerned, having to commit to rigorous Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) patrols across the Indian Ocean and key checkpoints means the arrival of more of these aircraft is a great advantage, if not a relief.
3. Technical Specifications The aircraft has a wingspan of 37.64 metres, a length of 39.50 metres, and stands 12.83 metres tall. It is powered by two CFM-56-7BE engines, each producing 27,300 pounds of thrust. Its range is 1,200 nautical miles, with an additional four hours of loiter time on station. It is compatible with 129A-size sonobuoys, Harpoon missiles, and MK-54 torpedoes, and is also equipped with a survival kit for crew safety. According to the manufacturers, it can reach a maximum speed of 907 km/h and is capable of operating at a ceiling of 12,496 metres.
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4. Operational History in India In September 2023, it completed ten years of deployment with the Indian Navy and has already clocked more than 40,000 mishap-free flight hours. During the 2017 China–India border standoff, the aircraft played a critical role by conducting surveillance along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
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5. Domestic Maintenance (MRO) In 2024, Boeing partnered with AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) to provide in-country overhaul services for critical components of the Indian Navy’s fleet. The project was under the Boeing India Repair Development and Sustainment (BIRDS) hub programme. The BIRDS hub is a local network of suppliers working to build a robust MRO ecosystem for defence and commercial aircraft.