Boeing proposing 737 intelligence aircraft

[Joop]

The Boeing Co. is planning to turn the 737 jetliner into an aircraft capable of airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The plane would be a variant of the 737-based P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft that Boeing (NYSE: BA) is developing for the U.S. Navy. The P-8A is designed as the next generation of submarine hunter aircraft.

The 737 SIGINT (signals intelligence) aircraft would be used on high-altitude missions to listen to electronic transmissions and relay information from those transmissions to military commanders.

Boeing officials say they don't yet know how much of the 737 SIGINT modification work would be done in Wichita if the aircraft is put into production. More than 75 percent of the 737 airframe is built at Spirit AeroSystems Inc. in Wichita.

[Chris@YYZ]

so it would be sorta like EWACS but using a 737 airframe?

[uy707]

I would bet on a J-Star and/or a Sigint, with either
-a long ventral pod running along the forward fuselage section from the nose wheel to the wing fairings
-or by making up another derivative straight from the RAAF's EWACs.
Alain

[Chris@YYZ]

I would bet on a J-Star and/or a Sigint, with either
-a long ventral pod running along the forward fuselage section from the nose wheel to the wing fairings
-or by making up another derivative straight from the RAAF's EWACs.
Alain

ah, doesnt the US Navy already have seomething sort of like that? or am I totally off?

[maverick]

Sounds interesting.....could you give us a link to an article, perhaps?

[kcmh]

Sounds interesting.....could you give us a link to an article, perhaps?

Is it that hard to go to Boeing.com and look at the press releases?



Lazy kids these days

[maverick]

Sorry- didn't realize it was an official Boeing press release. My bad.

[uy707]

ah, doesnt the US Navy already have seomething sort of like that? or am I totally off?

The stuff I know they have although not for the same mission is the E6 "Hermes" (TACAMO) which is
- kinda of a communication relay between subs and ground
- another member of the extensive Boeing 707 family of aircraft.
I know Lockheed tried to sell them an EWAC version of the P3 Orion. A prototype was even built, the Orion also showed up with a rotodome atop the fuselage.
Alain

[Top_Gun]

I wonder if this aircraft is the test bed for the intelligence product they are going to retrofit on the 737's?

Government owned aircraft flown by MIT......

[photoid=420958]

[uy707]

Is she based at Protsmouth ?
Alain

[Top_Gun]

Is she based at Protsmouth ?
Alain

No, some where in Massachusetts. I can't remember the airport. She does come in here from time to time for TnG's though.

Known as Paul Revere, so I think that makes her a HE