In the second week of December 2010, Boeing received a key sensor technology for the Indian Navy’s P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft from Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), which delivered the Indian-designed Identification Friend or Foe Interrogator – a Battle Management System to enable the P-8I aircraft to distinguish between hostile and friendly forces.
The system is to be installed during the final assemble of the P-8I at its facility in Renton in the US. To date, indigenous P-8I deliveries also include BEL’s Data Link II communications system, Avantel’s mobile satellite system and the Electronic Corporation of India Limited’s speech secrecy system.
Boeing plans to deliver the first of eight P-8I aircraft to India within 48 months of the date on which the original contract was signed which was in January 2009. India is the first international customer for this product from Boeing. The P-8I is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing designed and is building for the US Navy.