The Navy plans on preparing a supplemental environmental impact statement that calls for significantly reducing the number of P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
Navy officials announced their plans Wednesday in a statement from U.S. Fleet Forces Command.
The final EIS for stationing P-8s, which are modified Boeing 737-800s that will replace older P-3 Orion aircraft, was completed in September 2008. And according to the Navy, it is now looking at only basing two aircraft here at a time, instead of three squadrons of the aircraft.
Rotating two P-8s into and out of Hawaii from other bases would mean fewer personnel in Hawaii and wouldn’t require as many facilities, the Navy said.
The Navy plans on having 12 squadrons of P-8s totalling 72 aircraft and one additional unit of 12 aircraft for what it calls a fleet replacement squadron.
The secretary of the Navy will decide whether to base the three squadrons or only two aircraft here at a time once the supplemental EIS is completed.
Navy officials announced their plans Wednesday in a statement from U.S. Fleet Forces Command.
Rotating two P-8s into and out of Hawaii from other bases would mean fewer personnel in Hawaii and wouldn’t require as many facilities, the Navy said.
The Navy plans on having 12 squadrons of P-8s totalling 72 aircraft and one additional unit of 12 aircraft for what it calls a fleet replacement squadron.
The secretary of the Navy will decide whether to base the three squadrons or only two aircraft here at a time once the supplemental EIS is completed.
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