The US Department of Defence (DoD) has issued a contract to Boeing on the 29 February 2024, which will supply 14 P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to the Royal Canadian Air Force.

In addition, Boeing will also provide three Poseidon aircraft to Germany under this $3.4bn deal, bringing the number of aircraft to be delivered by March 2028 to 17 units.

While currently undefinitised, Boeing – the original equipment manufacturer of Poseidon – will deliver 17 of the latest Lot 13 units. Canada will transition to the new Poseidon fleet from its 14 existing P-3C Orion aircraft, which are approaching the 50-year mark of active service by the end of this decade.

Poseidon is a multi-mission patrol and reconnaissance aircraft used to conduct long-range maritime and littoral operations as well as search and rescue missions. It has intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare capabilities.

The aircraft is 129.5 feet (ft) long and 42.1ft high with a wingspan of 123.6ft. Its internal weapons bay is installed beneath the forward section of the fuselage, while the wings are built with hardpoints for carrying air-to-surface missiles.

At the time of award, the Candian Ministry of Defence issued a press release detailing that its modernisation plans mark an “historic recapitalisation” of the Air Force fleet unseen since the Second World War.

These efforts extend to the procurement of 16 Poseidon units in December 2023, 88 F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, 11 MQ-9 uncrewed remotely piloted aircraft systems, and 9 CC-330 Husky Multi-Role Tanker and Transport aircraft.

Notably, of the 150 force employment missions that its utility aircraft typically carry out in a year, more than one-third of them are to transport personnel such as senior military officers.