I've been doing a lot of research into maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) recently. I've always debated the replacement of the P-3C Orion with the P-8A Poseidon by the US Navy. The P-3 seemed to be almost perfectly suited for the job, with the exception of having a rough/bumpy ride at low altitudes and not having much more room to grow into new mission systems.
The P-8 seems to be ill-suited for low-speed, low-altitude flying where the P-3 seemed to thrive. It also lacks a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) boom (the importance of which can be debated). But it has much improved speed over the P-3 such that although it doesn't quite have the endurance of the P-3 it can get on station more quickly.
The US Navy has seemingly dealt with the limitations of the P-8 by changing the tactics of how it hunts submarines. Employing higher altitude search patterns and sensors and even developing a high altitude launched torpedo. I know the P-8 was designed to do a lot of other tasks - notably ISR - as well, but I was strictly interested in the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities of the aircraft in question.
I've always been of the opinion that the P-7 / Orion21 design would have been the most capable MPA as it keeps all the best attributes of the P-3 on a slightly larger air frame that would be capable of newer (and larger) mission systems.
That may have been until I started reading a lot about the Japanese Kawasaki P-1 MPA this week. It seems that when the P-7 was cancelled the Japanese Defense Forces began designing their own dedicated MPA from scratch. The result is the Kawasaki P-1, which is to my knowledge the only modern design dedicated ASW aircraft flying today, as even the P-3 was a derivative of the Lockheed Electra.
It seems to be a fantastic airplane that in many ways combines the best attributes of the P-3 and P-8. Turbojet engines for high speed and high altitude flying, with a wing designed for low and slow flying.
What I can't decide, is if the higher maximum speed of the P-1 is better in the MPA role than the almost instant throttle response that the P-3 can achieve from it's turboprops (I've read it's quite something with the controllable pitch props provide not only immediate throttle response but instantaneous increased lift as they blow more air across the wings).
After doing more reading, I'm somewhat surprised the RAF decided to go with the P-8. I can understand they want to maximize inter-operability with the US Navy, but it seems to me the P-1 is by far the better aircraft at ASW work. Japan has apparently reduced it's self-imposed exporting restriction on military hardware.
Anyways, the ramblings of an OCD military enthusiast hell-bent on declaring a king of the MPA world. If anyone has any thoughts on the subject I'd be interested in reading.
Boomer.
The P-8 seems to be ill-suited for low-speed, low-altitude flying where the P-3 seemed to thrive. It also lacks a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) boom (the importance of which can be debated). But it has much improved speed over the P-3 such that although it doesn't quite have the endurance of the P-3 it can get on station more quickly.
The US Navy has seemingly dealt with the limitations of the P-8 by changing the tactics of how it hunts submarines. Employing higher altitude search patterns and sensors and even developing a high altitude launched torpedo. I know the P-8 was designed to do a lot of other tasks - notably ISR - as well, but I was strictly interested in the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities of the aircraft in question.
I've always been of the opinion that the P-7 / Orion21 design would have been the most capable MPA as it keeps all the best attributes of the P-3 on a slightly larger air frame that would be capable of newer (and larger) mission systems.
That may have been until I started reading a lot about the Japanese Kawasaki P-1 MPA this week. It seems that when the P-7 was cancelled the Japanese Defense Forces began designing their own dedicated MPA from scratch. The result is the Kawasaki P-1, which is to my knowledge the only modern design dedicated ASW aircraft flying today, as even the P-3 was a derivative of the Lockheed Electra.
It seems to be a fantastic airplane that in many ways combines the best attributes of the P-3 and P-8. Turbojet engines for high speed and high altitude flying, with a wing designed for low and slow flying.
What I can't decide, is if the higher maximum speed of the P-1 is better in the MPA role than the almost instant throttle response that the P-3 can achieve from it's turboprops (I've read it's quite something with the controllable pitch props provide not only immediate throttle response but instantaneous increased lift as they blow more air across the wings).
After doing more reading, I'm somewhat surprised the RAF decided to go with the P-8. I can understand they want to maximize inter-operability with the US Navy, but it seems to me the P-1 is by far the better aircraft at ASW work. Japan has apparently reduced it's self-imposed exporting restriction on military hardware.
Anyways, the ramblings of an OCD military enthusiast hell-bent on declaring a king of the MPA world. If anyone has any thoughts on the subject I'd be interested in reading.
Boomer.
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