The Navy has purchased 24 of the ISR planes (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) as of November, when the company won a $1.9 billion contract to provide the branch 11 planes.
According to FlightGlobal, the Navy wants to designate the Poseidon acquisition program as a multi-year procurement for the last five years, fiscal years 2015 through 2019, rather than an annual purchase.
Zach Rosenberg writes the Pentagon frequently requires a minimum 10 percent price discount and production system stability in order to grant the multi-year authority.
Poseidons will work with nearly 60 Northrop Grumman-made (NYSE: NOC) MQ-4C Triton drones, which Rosenberg writes will help guide Poseidons to targets.