Boeing received a three-year contract earlier this month to continue support of the Indian Navy’s fleet of P-8I maritime patrol aircraft.
In addition to field and logistics service representatives, the contract includes engineering, support and planning. The scope will also include robust material support, including a 737-based component services program, which will be executed in conjunction with Boeing Commercial Aviation Services’ Fleet Services division.
“Our Boeing Defence India (BDI) team remains focused on executing on our commitments to customers on schedule and cost,” said Pratyush Kumar, President of Boeing India and Vice President of Boeing International.
“With this contract, the Indian Navy can be assured of achieving exceptional operational capability and readiness of the P-8I fleet,” he added.
The contract continues the service Boeing provides under the program’s current initial production contract, scheduled to expire in October.
“This contract will substantially bolster Boeing’s performance-based support to the Indian Navy and should maintain or increase the operational capability of the eight-aircraft fleet,” said Stephen Schmidt, P-8I Sustainment Program Manager.
The Indian Navy operates eight P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft at INS Rajali. Boeing is also contracted to deliver four additional P-8I aircraft to the Indian Navy. Deliveries will begin in 2020.
Since 2009, Boeing has played a key role in enhancing India’s defense capabilities and partnering with military customers on their mission requirements with the C-17 Globemaster III, P-8I and the soon-to-be-delivered AH-64 Apache and the CH-47 Chinook.
Recently, Boeing announced the establishment of BDI, a local operating entity to drive the company’s future growth objectives in India by being responsive to customer needs and growing indigenous engineers, sourcing, manufacturing and lifecycle management capabilities. BDI is the local services delivery vehicle of the soon-to-be-operational Boeing Global Services unit, a new dedicated services business focused on the needs of global defense, space and commercial customers.
