The U.S. Navy has stated the the Boeing P-8A Spy Plane is nearly ready for service. A long-range maritime surveillance plane based on the company’s 737 airliner, the Boeing P-8A Spy Plane has gotten the Navy’s declaration of “initial operational capability,” or IOC, which will pave the way for the plane’s first deployment in December.

The Navy plans to buy 117 of the new anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare planes to replace its P-3 spy planes.

Boeing, which is also building eight of the new planes for India, will have a P-8A aircraft on display at the Dubai air show that begins on Sunday.

The decision will enable the Navy to deploy its first P-8A squadron this winter for operational missions, said a Navy official speaking on background.

Read more at http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/15/us-navy-boeing-idUSBRE9AE0AO20131115.