Air Warfare
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.
More from Air Warfare
-
Singapore Airshow 2020: RSAF confirms RBS 70 NG buy
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has procured the Saab RBS 70 NG MANPADS as part of its air defence renewal efforts. The announcement ...
-
RAF completes Exercise Red Flag
The UK’s F-35 Lightning Force has concluded Exercise Red Flag at Nellis Air Force Base in the US.Royal Air Force 617 Squadron deployed F-35 jets ...
-
FCAS Phase 1A framework contract awarded
The governments of France and Germany have launched the demonstrator phase for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) with the issue of an initial framework ...
-
DoD modifies CHI Aviation contract for AFRICOM logistics
The US DoD has awarded several US-based firms modified contracts for providing aviation support and logistics to Africa Command (AFRICOM) according to a 6 February ...
-
Marte ER in second test firing
MBDA has carried out a second firing of the Marte ER anti-ship missile at the Poligono Interforze del Salto di Quirra test range in Sardinia. ...
-
F-35s carry out night landings on HMS Queen Elizabeth
The first night landings on HMS Queen Elizabeth have been carried out by four F-35 Lightning jets in UK waters. Operational training being carried out ...