India-US ink $1 billion deal to buy four Poseidon-8I aircraft

India has signed a defence deal with United States worth over $1 billion to purchase four additional Poseidon-8I (P8I) long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.
This deal is a follow-up order to the eight P-81 aircrafts that are already bought by India in a direct deal with Boeing’s Indian subsidiary in 2009.
The acquisition of additional four P-8I aircraft will give the Indian Navy much-needed punch to build up its naval surveillance capabilities.

About Poseidon-8I (P8I) aircraft

• The P-8I is a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.
• The P-8I is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing is developing for the US Navy. It is capable of broad area, maritime and littoral operations.
• It is equipped with the sophisticated Harpoon missiles, lightweight torpedoes and rockets. The Indian Navy is the first international customer for the P-8I.
• Indian Navy has been using the P-8I to keep watch over the Indian Ocean. The P-8I fleet of Indian Navy is based at naval air station Rajali in Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2016