Requirements for P-8a Transition

Requirements for P-8A Transition

LG302

Spring 1 2011

Park University

The P-8A Poseidon is the militaries latest derivative aircraft. It is a derivative of the Boeing’s 737, with a fuselage of the 737-800 and the wings of a 737-900. The p-8A Poseidon was the Boeing’s first military derivative aircraft that incorporated structural modifications as it moved through the commercial aircraft line. The Poseidon is known as a long range anti-submarine warfare, anti=surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. The System Development and Demonstration contract was awarded to Boeing in 2004, and since then the Poseidon program had it first flight in 2009 and then its first flight test in 2010. Boeing’s partners in the Poseidon program are CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, GE Aviation and Spirit Aero systems. Boeing is completing the final assembly of the P-8A Poseidon in Renton, Washington while taking full advantage of the manufacturing processes for the next 737 commercial production system.

Currently, when deploying the P-8A Poseidon to an austere location it requires a large amount of ground support equipment and maintenance equipment. On average it takes four to seven U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft to transport the required equipment and personnel when deploying the Poseidon to forward austere locations. It would also require that a aviation fuel support be contracted out or tasked out to provide the aviation fuel support. There needs to be a logistical system in place in those austere locations to lower the footprint of the Poseidon, and combat commanders need to go ahead and have the spare / repair parts getting stocked in their supply management units. With this new approach and system in place it would not only save money for the Department of Defense but will also allow for the reallocation or resources throughout the forces if the Poseidon lowers it footprint.

For the Combat commanders to accomplish this they need to look at the different possibilities and different areas where they can cut the footprint of the ground support equipment and have the spare / repair parts available when needed. The other important factor the combat commanders need to work on it the storage and distribution of the aviation fuel. One course of action for the spare / repair parts procurement, storage, and distribution would be for the combat commanders to have their supply management units to go ahead and procure and store some of the critical spare / repair parts that have been identified by the Poseidon staff. To lower the ground support equipment footprint the combat commanders that are requesting the support of P-8A Poseidon need to look and see if the other