Boeing delivers P-8A training devices to US Navy

Boeing has announced that it has delivered a second set of P-8A Poseidon training devices to the US Navy, consisting of an Operational Flight Trainer (OFT), a Weapons Tactics Trainer (WTT) and four Electronic Classrooms. Boeing made the announcement 24 April, 2012.

The P-8A WTT can be used to train multiple mission operators at the same time. It has five mission-crew workstations and five instructor-operator stations. It will be used to train mission crew members to operate the P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft's sensor and communications systems, as well as to control and deploy its weapons.

The full-motion, full-visual OFT is derived from the commercial Next-Generation 737 full-flight simulator. It can be used as a stand-alone trainer or be paired with the WTT to comprise a full P-8A Weapons Systems Trainer. Offering improved concurrency with aircraft configuration, and helping the navy provide comprehensive instruction to its air and mission crews in preparation for operational capability in mid-2013.

By the end of 2013, Boeing will deliver seven more OFTs and four more WTTs (for a total of nine and six), plus two Part-Task Trainers and more than two dozen classrooms and attendant courseware, to the Navy's 165,000-square-foot training facility in Jacksonville. Boeing officially delivered the first of 13 low-rate initial production P-8A Poseidon aircraft to the US Navy on March 4. The Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8A aircraft to replace its P-3 fleet.