SEATTLE, July 20, 2012. Boeing [NYSE: BA] has delivered the second production P-8A Poseidon aircraft to the U.S. Navy. The P-8A is one of 13 low rate initial production (LRIP) maritime patrol aircraft that Boeing is building for the Navy as part of two contracts awarded in 2011.

The Boeing P-8A Poseidon is modified from the Boeing 737-800 for military use. It is designed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), shipping interdiction, and for reconnaissance and electronic intelligence missions. The P-8A Poseidon will be replacing the aging Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion ASW aircraft that have been in service since 1962.

Three P-8As currently are undergoing mission systems installation and checkout in Seattle, and three others are in final assembly in Renton, Wash. In order to efficiently design and build P-8A aircraft for the Navy and P-8I aircraft for India, the Boeing-led team is using an in-line production process that draws on the company's Next-Generation 737 production system. All aircraft modifications are made in sequence during fabrication and assembly.

Overall, the Navy plans to purchase 117 of the Boeing 737-based P-8A anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to replace its P-3 fleet.

As part of the two LRIP contracts, Boeing is providing aircrew and maintenance training for the Navy, in addition to logistics support, spares, support equipment and tools. Separate from the LRIP contracts, Boeing was awarded a System Development and Demonstration contract in 2004 to build and test six flight-test and two ground-test P-8A aircraft. The flight test aircraft have completed more than 600 sorties and 2,800 flight hours, mainly at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.