Canada issues LOR for Poseidon MMA

An artist's impression of the Boeing P-8A Poseidon in Royal Canadian Air Force colours and markings. (Boeing)

Canada has issued a letter of request (LOR) to the US government for the Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime multimission aircraft (MMA).

The Canadian government announced the LOR on 27 March, saying it is seeking 16 aircraft for its Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) requirement to replace the ageing Lockheed CP-140 Auroras of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

“A request for information (RFI) was released in February 2022 to obtain information from industry. Following engagements with industry and Canada's closest allies, the government has determined that the P-8A Poseidon is the only currently available aircraft that meets all of the CMMA operational requirements, namely anti-submarine warfare and C4ISR [command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance],” the Canadian government said.

“With a view to exploring this option in more detail, Canada has recently submitted an LOR through the United States government's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, outlining Canada's requirements and requesting an offer. These requirements include up to 16 P-8A Poseidon aircraft and associated equipment and initial servicing, as well as access to intellectual property and technical data. The issuance of an LOR does not commit Canada to purchasing the P-8A Poseidon and the project remains in options analysis. The final decision will be based on the capability offered, availability, pricing, and benefits to Canadian industry,” it added.

The RCAF, which operates all Canadian military aviation, fields 14 P-3 Orion-derived CP-140 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) that were first received in 1980. Although the fleet has lately been upgraded with Link 11 and Link 16 datalinks, the service is seeking a replacement for the 2030 timeframe.