First RAF P-8 Poseidon arrives in country
The Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) first P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft has arrived in the UK, the Ministry of Defence announced on 4 February.
The aircraft is the first of nine Poseidon aircraft being acquired under a £3 billion programme which will improve the UK’s ability to track hostile targets below and above the waves.
The new fleet will protect the UK’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent and be central to NATO missions across the North Atlantic, co-operating closely with the US and Norwegian Poseidon fleets.
The Poseidon is designed to carry out extended surveillance missions at high and low altitudes. The aircraft is equipped with sensors which use high-resolution area mapping to find both submarines and surface vessels. It also carries sonobuoys which can be dropped from the aircraft into the sea to search for enemy submarines, surveying the battlespace under the sea and relaying data back to the aircraft.
Poseidon will be armed with Harpoon anti-surface ship missiles and Mk 54 torpedoes capable of attacking both surface and sub-surface targets.
All nine UK Poseidons will be delivered to the RAF by the end of 2021 and achieve full operational capability from RAF Lossiemouth in 2024. The aircraft will be flown initially by 120 Squadron, with 201 Squadron joining the programme in due course.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Air Warfare
-
![A new shape in the sky? Mapping out the F-47’s configuration]()
A new shape in the sky? Mapping out the F-47’s configuration
As images of what might be an F-47 prototype or proof-of-concept vehicle emerge from the Nevada desert, what do they tell us about the aircraft’s capabilities and enabling technologies?
-
![Latin American fixed-wing capability gaps create openings for industry competition]()
Latin American fixed-wing capability gaps create openings for industry competition
Transport and tanker aircraft represent a growing opportunity in Latin America as countries in the region increasingly look to replace ageing fleets and reduce dependence on second-hand platforms.
-
![With a wave of upgrades, the MQ-9B is ready for high-tech warfare]()
With a wave of upgrades, the MQ-9B is ready for high-tech warfare
The modern battlefield is evolving rapidly — threats range from stealthy cruise missiles to coordinated drone swarms. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is meeting these challenges head-on with a series of transformative upgrades to its MQ-9B SkyGuardian® and maritime SeaGuardian® remotely piloted aircraft.
-
![June drone digest: Landmark CCA contract and deep-strike capability flourishes at Eurosatory]()
June drone digest: Landmark CCA contract and deep-strike capability flourishes at Eurosatory
June 2026 saw the landmark acquisition of the first fighter-type Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), while the month also hosted Eurosatory, which showcased deep-strike capabilities and production deals with the civilian industry.
