“Is there a way to put Sidewinders on a P-8?”
Technologically,there is NO reason that sidewinders or for that matter AMMRAM’s on a jet of that size.
I just think that they don’t arm them so that our potential enemies don’t consider them to be a threat.
I think that should change or they should have a combat air patrol of F-18’s flying where ever those planes go.
The Brits armed their Nimrods with Sidewinders during the Falklands conflict, o its not impossible. But that’s scanty defense against a high-performance fighter.
About these not being considered a threat, they are still capable of carrying anti-ship and anti-sub weapons, so that’s technically a threat.