Boeing 
delivered the Navy’s first production P-8A Poseidon maritime warfare and patrol aircraft, announced the company. “The Navy fleet is more than ready to receive the P-8A, which will provide the users and operators a step increase in mission capabilities,” said Rear Adm. Paul Grosklags, program executive officer for air anti-submarine warfare. Delivery of this aircraft, the first of 13 low-rate initial production P-8s, took place on March 4 in Seattle. The Navy will use this airframe for aircrew training at NAS Jacksonville, Fla. Boeing has already supplied the Navy with eight pre-production P-8s for flight and ground tests at NAS Patuxent River, Md. Based on Boeing’s 737-800 airliner, Poseidon will serve in anti-ship and anti-submarine roles and will provide over-water intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance capability. The Navy intends to purchase a total 117 P-8As to replace its long-serving fleet of P-3 Orions.
The U.S. began extensive air and artillery strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria on Dec. 19 in retaliation for the killing of three Americans on Dec. 13 by a gunman affiliated with ISIS, U.S. officials said.
