P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Australia currently operates a fleet of 12 P-8A aircraft, with an additional two aircraft on order, which are operated by No. 11 and No. 292 Squadrons at RAAF Base Edinburgh.

The P-8A Poseidon has deployed on a vast number of operations and exercises since it first arrived in 2016, ratifying its high capability to generate effects in its primary roles, including:

• Anti-submarine warfare
• Anti-surface warfare
• Search and rescue
• Maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
• Overland intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance

Based on the commercial design of Boeing’s 737-800, the P-8A is built specifically as a military aircraft and has been substantially modified to include an internal fuel capacity of almost 34 tonnes, allowing the P-8A to conduct low-level anti-submarine warfare operations more than 2,000 kilometres from base.

The P-8A has been substantially modified to include a weapons bay, under wing, and under fuselage hard points for weapons and increased strengthening for low level (down to 200 feet) operations and high-angle turns.

The P-8A is capable of air-to-air refuelling with the KC-30A multi-role tanker transport aircraft.