New Delhi – Boeing of United States has begun fabricating the first part for the Indian Navy’s first long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft on Dec. 6 in Wichita. The P-8I, based on the Boeing Next-Generation 737 commercial airplane, is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing is developing for the U.S. Navy.
A press release issued by the company said the employees at Spirit AeroSystems — where all Boeing Next-Generation 737 fuselages, nacelles and pylons are designed and built — cut the P-8I’s first part, a bonded aluminium panel that later will be installed on the fuselage’s upper lobe to support an antenna. The panel and other fuselage components will come together on Spirit’s existing Next-Generation 737 production line.
“Today marks the P-8I program’s move from the design phase to the build phase,” said Leland Wight, Boeing P-8I program manager. “We’re on schedule and the Indian navy is looking forward to receiving its first plane.
