The problem is P-3 airframes. They’ve had it. Designed, I believe, for 20,000 hours. Some have exceeded 60,000 and they are just worn out. The P-8 is a 737-800EX variant and no, it is not a good replacement for ASW work. It wull fly at 20,000 feet and do high altitude ASW. The problem is that high altitude ASW doesn’t work after the detection phase. The Navy wanted 156 P-8s. That is down to 107 officially. Won’t happen. Will end-up with one operational squadron on each coast plus some in HI — which will then be moved to Guam. Since 1991 we have basically abandoned ASW and AMW.
It’s kinda hard to go ‘low and slow’ with a 737.
Oh, how I remeber the fun of sneaking up on russian ‘trawlers’, and scaring the crapp out of them.
We considered damage due to salt water intake to be part of the job. That’s why God and the Navy gave us four engines.
Once gain you are quite mistaken.