The U.S. State Department has approved a potential sale of 16 Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to Canada.
The approval, released by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on June 27, comes as Ottawa continues to mull the acquisition of a new Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) to replace its aging Lockheed CP-140 Auroras, which are derivatives of the Lockheed P-3 Orion.
According to the DSCA, the P-8 package, valued at $5.9 billion, includes the 16 aircraft, mission equipment, defensive aids, engines, aircraft spares, support equipment and required training.
The package suggests that Canada has requested a P-8 capability like that already flying with the U.S. Navy and other Poseidon customer nations.
Earlier this year Ottawa’s Defense Department declared that the P-8A meets all of the CMMA requirements.
Despite this, and now the U.S. approval for a sale, Canadian industry is continuing to actively lobby the government to hold a competition for the CP-140 replacement.
Canadian manufacturer Bombardier has teamed up with General Dynamics Mission Systems Canada to propose a heavily modified Global 6500 business jet equipped for the anti-submarine and maritime patrol task.
Meanwhile, the DSCA notice states that a Canadian P-8 purchase would “increase Canadian maritime forces’ interoperability with the United States and other allied forces, as well as their ability to contribute to missions of mutual interest.”
“This will significantly improve network-centric warfare capability for the U.S. forces operating globally alongside Canada,” the DSCA states.
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