Marshall Aerospace has delivered its 100th production auxiliary fuel tank in support of Boeing’s P-8 program; as part of a current contract worth ?40Million for the Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) phases, which commenced in 2007. Six tanks ? which help extend the flight range of the aircraft to approx. 1,200 nautical miles and to allow for up to four hours on station – are delivered per aircraft along with a number of LRUs required for installation.

The P-8 platform is a military derivative of the Boeing Next-Generation 737-800. Variants include the P-8A Poseidon – the US Navy?s long-range, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft – and the P-8I, a similar platform for the Indian Navy (Boeing?s first international customer for the aircraft).

Steve Fitz-Gerald, CEO of Marshall Aerospace, commented: ?The one-hundredth production tank is a significant milestone in our contract with Boeing, and Marshall Aerospace?s engineering, production and test specialists are to be congratulated.?

Auxiliary fuel tank deliveries to date have been made under an agreed LRIP phase, with 12 ship sets being delivered per annum. The US Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8A aircraft and with international sales it is possible that total orders for the P-8 platform could exceed 200 aircraft. Marshall Aerospace has been working with Boeing to prepare for an increase in production rate; into the Full Rate Production (FRP) phase.

Marshall Aerospace press release