The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) stated on 30/7 that repairing the P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, which slid into the ocean in November 2023, was deemed too expensive due to "extensive repairs, specialized support equipment requirements, and the high cost to return the aircraft to mission-ready status."
While NAVAIR did not disclose the total restoration cost, the salvage operation alone cost approximately $1.5 million USD.
The US Navy removed military equipment from the P-8A before dismantling the airframe in Hawaii, a process expected to be completed in August. Functional equipment and components will be transferred to the Navy's logistics department for use in repairing and maintaining other P-8A aircraft currently in service.
The P-8A maritime patrol aircraft slid off the runway during a training flight at Marine Corps Base Hawaii on 20/11/2023, ending up in Kaneohe Bay, about 45 meters from the shore. The 9 crew members were unharmed and safely brought ashore.
The incident caused significant damage to the P-8A, exacerbated by two weeks of submersion in seawater before recovery. While the Navy initially hoped to restore the aircraft, the extended saltwater exposure proved too damaging.
According to Joseph Trevithick, writing for the US military website War Zone, "The aircraft's engines were almost completely submerged, potentially leading to severe corrosion of the propellers and other components. Similar damage likely occurred to antennas and electronics underneath the fuselage, while the nose cone and radar were lost. Seawater may have also entered the fuselage through openings in the engineering compartment."
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The P-8A reconnaissance aircraft after the incident in November 2023. Photo: US Navy |
The P-8A reconnaissance aircraft after the incident in November 2023. Photo: US Navy
The P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, developed by the US in 2004, is based on the Boeing 737NG airframe and replaced the P-3 Orion, which had been in service since the 1950s. As of early 2025, the US Navy had received 130 P-8A aircraft.
A P-8A crew consists of 9 members: two pilots and seven systems operators. The aircraft has 11 weapons hardpoints and can carry anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles, anti-radar missiles, torpedoes, mines, depth charges, and the High-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon System (HAAWC).
The P-8 is equipped with numerous submarine detection and tracking systems, primarily the AN/APY-10 radar, capable of identifying submarine periscopes and tracking surface vessels from hundreds of kilometers.
Nguyen Tien (According to War Zone, AFP, AP)
