DefenseCanada’s first P-8A Poseidon enters assembly at Boeing facility
Boeing has begun structural assembly of the first P-8A Poseidon ordered by Canada, joining the aircraft’s major fuselage sections at its production facility in the United States.
The jet is the first of 16 P-8A aircraft acquired by Ottawa under the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) program, with options for two additional units. The fleet will replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft, which have been in service for more than four decades.
The P-8A, a military derivative of the Boeing 737 Next Generation commercial airliner, is currently operated by the U.S. Navy and several allied nations for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, as well as search and rescue roles.
Canada formalized the purchase through a government-to-government agreement with the United States in December 2023. In March 2024, the U.S. Navy awarded Boeing a $3.4 billion Foreign Military Sales contract covering 17 aircraft for Canada and Germany.
The CMMA program carries an estimated cost of more than C$10.4 billion, including aircraft procurement, training devices, support equipment, infrastructure and weapons. Long-term sustainment of the fleet through 2055 is projected to exceed C$10 billion.
Delivery of the first Canadian P-8A is scheduled for 2026. Boeing plans a production cadence of roughly one aircraft per month for Canada’s order, supporting a phased retirement of the CP-140 Aurora fleet.
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