The Indian Navy received the fourth of its ordered eight Boeing P-8I maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. Tail number IN323 has arrived at INS Rajali also known as Arokkanam naval air station, about 55 km west of Chennai. (Map).
IN323 joins three of her sisters currently undergoing operational evaluation at the air base. The P-8I is the Indian Navy variant of the P-8A Poseidon, a maritime reconnaissance, surveillance, and patrol aircraft developed by Boeing for the US Navy. Both aircraft are based on the ultra-popular Boeing 737 Next-Generation commercial jetliner.
Leland Wight, Boeing P-8I program manager
“The Indian Navy is putting the first three P-8Is through their paces operationally, and the P-8I delivered today will begin flight trials in the coming months,”
Not related to this article, but whenever I think of Arakkonam Naval Air station, I can’t stop remembering that it has the longest air field runway in India. (13,000+ ft) – VOAR!
Features of the B-737 are quite visible like the V angled cockpit side windows and the flattened engine cowl