The South Korean Navy has officially received all six P-8A Poseidon multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) ordered from Boeing.
A ceremony held on Jul. 4 at the Naval Air Command in Pohang marked the official delivery of the P-8As. South Korea’s Defense Minister Shin Won-sik, Chief of Naval Operations Yang Yong-mo, and other dignitaries attended the event. Following the ceremony, Defense Minister Shin Won-sik reportedly ordered the inaugural flight of one of the newly delivered P-8As.
The South Korean government initially decided to acquire the P-8As in September 2018. Boeing successfully delivered all six aircraft by 2023. While the P-8As have arrived, their operational debut is slated for mid-2024. This timeframe allows for a year-long operational performance evaluation before the aircraft are fully integrated into the South Korean Navy’s operations.
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