
A P-8 Poseidon aircraft belonging to the ‘Pelicans’ of Patrol Squadron (VP) 45 returns from a mission during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014 in July. US Navy Photo
The U.S. Navy is cutting its teeth on the new Boeing P-8A Poseidon long range maritime Multi-Mission Aircraft with deployments to the U.S. 7th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR), with the third rotation of the type currently ongoing at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan since the first one began at the end of 2013. A typical deployment to Kadena lasts between six to seven months, and currently consists of a single squadron of Lockheed Martin P-3C Orions and one of P-8As to demonstrate the ability of the two platforms to operate effectively in a high-tempo environment. Read More →