Mission complete! RAF Poseidon submarine-hunting jet shadows Russian warship through UK waters during its first operation while supported by Typhoon Fighters
- On Monday morning a P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft shadowed a Russian warship in the North Sea
- The submarine-hunting jet is one of nine used by the Ministry of Defence as part of a £3bn nuclear deterrent
- The aircraft was accompanied by Typhoon fighters as it shadowed warship Vasily Bykov near British waters
- Also following the Poseidon aircraft was VIP Voyager, which underwent a £900,000 paint job back in June
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One of a fleet of the RAF’s Poseidon submarine-hunting jets completed its first mission on Monday as it shadowed a Russian warship that was sailing near British waters.
On Monday morning the the P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft was sent out to the North Sea, accompanied by Typhoon fighters to follow the Vasily Bykov warship
The aircraft is one of nine Poseidon MRA1 MPA’s taken over by the Ministry of Defence last year as part of a £3billion nuclear deterrent investment to help protect Britain from overseas threats.
P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft was sent out to the North Sea on Monday morning to shadow the Russian warship Vasily Bykov, which was sailing close to British waters
The state-of-the-art aircraft, which is one of a fleet of nine expected to be ready by 2021, was accompanied by Typhoon fighters as it carried out its first mission on Monday
On Monday morning, the P-8A from 120 Squadron, based at Kinloss Barracks in North East Scotland, passed through the North Sea with support from Typhoon fighters and the VIP Voyager following its £900,000 paint job.
As well as being used by the Prime Minister and members of the Royal Family, Voyager is also a refuelling aircraft.
An MoD spokesman said: ‘The P-8 offers a potent blend of tracking options and associated weapons able to find surface and sub-surface vessels, once more allowing the RAF to complete effective joint maritime operations with the Royal Navy.
‘Monitoring and tracking all activity in the airspace and seas around the United Kingdom is paramount to our security, with aircraft from the RAF and vessels from the RN ensuring our skies and seas are constantly patrolled and defended.’
The VIP Voyager, which underwent a £900,000 paint job in June, accompanied jets on the flight to carry out its role as a refuelling plane
The new Poseidon aircraft for the RAF features two 27,000lb st (120kN) CFM International CFM56-7 turbofan engines
The government is investing £470million at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland to provide a home for the fleet of nine aircraft.
The first of the fleet was unveiled in the US in October last year, where RAF crews could learn to pilot the aircraft.
Speaking at the time Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston, chief of the air staff, said: ‘Poseidon is a game-changing maritime patrol aircraft, able to detect, track and if necessary destroy the most advanced submarines in the world today.
‘With Poseidon MRA1, I am delighted and very proud that the RAF will once again have a maritime patrol force working alongside the Royal Navy, securing our seas to protect our nation.’
The state-of-the-art jets will enhance the UK’s tracking of hostile maritime targets.
They will work to protect the British continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent and play a central role in Nato missions across the North Atlantic.
RAF Typhoon jets were deployed to shadow the Russian warship Vasily Bykov, which was sailing in the North Sea on Monday
The Vasily Bykov is one of a fleet of ships armed with a cruise missile, aerosol camouflage, two grenade launchers and two machine guns
Poseidon is designed to carry out extended surveillance missions at both high and low altitudes, and it is equipped with cutting-edge sensors which use high-resolution area mapping to find threats above and below water
Poseidon is designed to carry out extended surveillance missions at both high and low altitudes.
It is equipped with cutting-edge sensors which use high-resolution area mapping to find threats above and below water.
The MPA will also be armed with Harpoon anti-surface ship missiles and Mk 54 torpedoes capable of attacking both surface and sub-surface targets.
First Sea Lord, Admiral Tony Radakin, said: ‘Poseidon marks a superb upgrade in the UK’s ability to conduct anti-submarine operations.
‘This will give the UK the ability to conduct long-range patrols and integrate seamlessly with our Nato allies to provide a world-leading capability.
‘This will maintain operational freedom for our own submarines, and apply pressure to those of our potential foes. I look forward to working with the RAF and our international partners on this superb capability.’
The 120 Squadron was originally stood up on January 1, 1918 and was the leading anti-submarine warfare squadron in the Second World War.