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Norway receives first Poseidon P-8A from Boeing

Vingtor Norway's first P-8A Poseidon
Photo: Norwegian defense ministry

The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency accepted the first of five P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from Boeing in a ceremony on November 18.

The Poseidons will be operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) 333 Squadron at Evenes Air Station, and will replace the current fleet of six P-3 Orions and two DA-20 Jet Falcons.

While the first aircraft has been handed over in the US, it will not arrive in Norway before February 2022. Norway expects the P-8A to start taking over tasks from the Orions in 2023.

“Norway is responsible for large maritime areas in a strategically important part of the world, and the new P-8A Poseidon will represent a tremendous improvement in our ability to both protect our sovereignty and understand developments in these areas. Today’s delivery of our first P-8A is an important milestone in the modernization of Norway’s maritime patrol aircraft capability,” said Mette Sørfonden, director general of the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency.

Norway’s first P-8A aircraft, named Vingtor, was delivered to the NDMA during a ceremony at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. The milestone comes four years after the NDMA entered into an agreement with the US Navy for the P-8A, and two years before the new aircraft are scheduled to begin taking over maritime patrol duties in Norway’s high north.

“We’re honored to provide this unmatched, multimission maritime patrol capability to Norway,” said Stu Voboril, vice president and program manager, P-8 Programs. “Norway joins seven other global customers that have selected or already operate the P-8 and benefit greatly from its long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. We look forward to enhancing our continued and enduring partnership with the U.S. Navy and the Royal Norwegian Air Force, and supporting the future fleet’s sustainment and training needs.”

Norway’s four remaining aircraft are all in advanced stages of production and will be delivered to the NDMA in 2022.

Norwegian companies Nammo, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Andoya Space and Berget currently have agreements with Boeing that are part of an industrial cooperation plan related to Norway’s acquisition of five P-8A aircraft.

The delivery to Norway also marks the 142nd P-8 aircraft delivered to global customers, including the US Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Indian Navy and the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. First deliveries to New Zealand, Korea and Germany will take place in 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively.