ment for the service’s aging P-3 Orion submarine hunters. International cus-tomers are also interested. The Indian Navy has ordered eight, with the last to be delivered by the end of 2015. Keith Smith, P-8I chief engineer and director of integration, said the P-8I team with Defense, Space & Security was tightly integrated with the Boeing Test & Evaluation team to plan and execute the flight-test program. “The collaborative approach, including colocating our teams, was instrumental in efficiently executing the test program,” Smith said. The teams started out flight-testing the P-8I’s mission system, which in-cludes its sensors and communication systems. They then quickly transitioned to “stores” tests, during which the P-8I carried inert weapon shapes under its wings to demonstrate the aircraft was capable of carrying all the weapons the Indian Navy will use during missions. These included the Harpoon anti-ship missile and depth bombs that can be dropped on enemy submarines. When the flight testing moved to Ari-zona in January, the weapons separation drops were completed in only five test days, said Jeanette Croppi, test program manager with Boeing Test & Evaluation. “We did 27 drops, which is unheard of and a testament to the entire team,” she said. In all, the P-8I made 178 test flights, which amounted to more than 480 flight-hours. “I’ve been part of other successful Boeing flight-test programs,” Smith said, “but have never seen one run so effectively.” n charles.b.ramey@boeing.com To see a related video, visit www.boeing.com/frontiers/videos/april PHOTO: A P-8I performs weapons drops using inert Mk-82 depth bombs at a test range near Yuma, Ariz. A Boeing Test & Evaluation T-38 chase airplane follows. LEO DEJILLAS/BOEING BOEING FRONTIERS / APRIL 2013 15
Frontiers April 2013 Issue
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