First Poseidon for RoKN noted
The first out of an order for six Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) for the Daehan Minguk Haegun (RoKN, Republic of Korea Navy) has been noted at Boeing’s Renton Factory in Washington.
The Poseidon is fully painted in navy colours, including the 61st Patrol Air Group badge and it carried its future serial 230921. Scramble Magazine assesses that the induction into the RoKN will be in 2023.
In June 2018 it was announced by the South Korea Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) that they would purchase an undisclosed number of P-8As in a USD1,71 billion acquisition government-to-government contract, meaning both SAAB and Airbus lost the competition for the replacement of the navy’s fixed wing patrol aircraft.
The US State Department approved this deal in September 2018 and disclosed the number of P-8As in the contract as six. Included in the purchase are various pieces of mission equipment such as Radio systems, GPS systems, Misile Warning sensors and Counter Measure dispensers, and Tactical Mission equipment.
The Poseidon will ultimately replace the Lockheed P-3CK and P-3C-III Orion which are now operated by 613 Navy Squadron from Pohang Air Base and 615 Navy Squadron from Jeju Air Base.
Photo by Woodys AeroImages