Boeing Co., the world’s largest planemaker, said it will team up with Bombardier Inc. (BBD/B) to offer a low-cost maritime surveillance plane based on the Canadian manufacturer’s Challenger 605 business jet.
The modified Challenger 605 would be marketed for anti-piracy, coast patrol and search-and-rescue missions, Tim Peters, Boeing vice president for mobility and surveillance, said at the Dubai Air Show today.
Boeing has developed the P-8 maritime patrol aircraft based on its best-selling 737 single-aisle passenger jet for the U.S. Navy and also sold the model, which is its Dubai air show debut here this week, to India. The business-jet based offering is intended to lure customers with deeper pockets that don’t need the full complement of capabilities of the P-8.
“The Challenger 605 is an ideal platform,” Peter said, offering the range, speed, and power needed to carry out the surveillance role.
Boeing is already in the process of modifying a company-owned business jet, a Challenger 604 also built by Bombardier, as a test plane. The model, being modified by Field Aviation which will also work on the production version, will make the rounds with possible customers next year.