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P-8 Poseidon - World-Wide Operators

There are about 435 P-3 aircraft worldwide operated by 21 governments and agencies in 17 countries. There was a great interest in both people that had P-3s at the time and then countries where they're not -- they're using other than P-3s but have recognized both the diesel threat and the increasing need to have ship tracking capability for these maritime threats, and especially in littoral waters, where there's a variety of operations that could be related to the war on terrorism. So the interest level has been pretty high from international countries.

While the P-8A is designed to meet the US Navy requirements, the aircraft is well positioned to replace P-3 aircraft currently operating with international navies and air forces. These include Canada, Brazil, Chile and Argentina, in the Americas, Norway, Germany, Spain, U.K., Portugal and Greece in Europe, Australia and New Zealand in Oceania, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Pakistan and India in Asia. Interest has been expressed by many countries including Australia and Italy. Italy has announced it’s intention to buy 14 Poseidons, and Canada is also participating in the development but has of yet not placed an order.

In 2004 Italy expressed an interest for a purchase of MMA aircraft, with fleet support provided by Alitalia. But in December 2008, Italy purchased four ATR 72 turboprop aircraft to replace its aging Atlantic Maritime Patrol Aircraft, though Italy remained interested in the far more capable P-8.

Boeing has identified New Zealand as a potential customer, and in a 16 December 2010 presentation at the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs on the 2010 New Zealand Defence Review, Defense Minister Wayne Mapp referred to the possibility of purchasing four P-8 aircraft.

As of 2012 Boeing was said to be considering shrinking the P-8 Poseidon submarine hunter into a smaller airplane to replace P-3 Orion fleets. A Defense News article from the Singapore Air Show reported "“We are looking hard at either a mid-sized platform or scaling down the P-8, and hopefully we will make a decision [whether to proceed] later this year,” said Jeff Kohler, vice president of Boeing Military Aircraft, ahead of the Singapore Airshow opening Feb. 14. The Boeing executive said his company is in discussions with two or three potential platform providers in the regional jet size market."