Sea-Air-Space: First P-8A Overhauled by L3Harris to Be Delivered in 2025

A P-8A Poseidon assigned to the “Red Lancers” of Patrol Squadron 10 takes off on a search and rescue mission flight. *Photo credit: U.S. Navy | Mass Communication Specialist First Class Ashley Guire*

The first P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to be overhauled by L3Harris (Booth 937) is scheduled to be delivered back to the U.S. Navy this year, a company official said.

L3Harris was awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract in September 2024 from the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) for depot-level maintenance, overhaul, and repair of the Navy’s fleet of P-8As, which will number 135 upon completion of the service’s planned procurement, said Jason Lambert, president of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance at L3Harris. The program is scheduled to continue through September 2029.

“NAVAIR’s No. 1 priority is aircraft availability, and it’s an honor for us at L3Harris to support the Navy to ensure the P-8 aircraft is mission-ready,” Lambert said.

Lambert said the company currently has four P-8As in its workflow, with a capability to induct a minimum of nine aircraft per year, and the potential capability to induct 12 aircraft the first year. The work will be accomplished at the company’s facility in Waco, Texas.

He said the contract allows processing foreign P-8 aircraft along with U.S. Navy aircraft.

“The Navy awarded the ID/IQ to both L3Harris and AAR,” he said. “AAR previously had this program. The Navy decided to go with a dual source, so the Navy determines the allocation of the aircraft across our two companies.

“L3 has provided decades of modification and sustainment support on the P-3 Orion, the predecessor of the P-8 platform across multiple customers including the U.S. Navy, NOAA, and the [defense] ministries of Brazil, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea ,and we’re very honored to extend our long-lasting support to the U.S. Navy by supporting this next-generation Poseidon fleet,” Lambert said.