A P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth has been participating in a multinational anti-submarine warfare exercise off the coast of Norway, say the RAF here.

According to a news release:

“Exercise ARTIC DOLPHIN is one of a series of routine exercises that provides the RAF an opportunity to test and develop the capabilities of its Maritime Patrol Aircraft alongside NATO allies. 

Ships from Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany worked alongside each other to hone their skills and ensure they can operate together seamlessly. As part of the exercise scenario the RAF aircraft worked with Norwegian Frigates including HNLMS Van Amstel to hunt the Norwegian submarine HNLMS Zeeleeuw.”

Poseidon on the runway at night.

Flight Lieutenant Smith, Mission Commander for RAF Poseidon, was quoted as saying:

“Exercises involving multiple nations and their associated maritime fleets?are extremely valuable to all participants. Exercise Arctic Dolphin provides the front-line crews an opportunity to improve the anti-submarine warfare skill set whilst operating with surface and sub-surface platforms.”

You can read more here.

Tom Dunlop
Tom Dunlop
Tom has spent the last 13 years working in the defence industry, specifically military and commercial shipbuilding. His work has taken him around Europe and the Far East, he is currently based in Scotland.

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50 COMMENTS

    • We can always throw the pork pies from in-flight rations down the tubes, it would at least give those Ruskies bad indigestion.

    • It passes its position onto Northwood, who notify other NATO forces of its position, who send their MPA to join in shadowing the sub, increasing the aircraft tracking it, until an escort comes and sinks the bastard with its helicopter?

        • Don’t know mate. Assume they’d come with the aircraft. All I remember on those is GBs explanation at its inferiority but better than nothing.

        • I was always under the impression that we purchased some Mk54 for our P8s as we wouldn’t have to wait for Stingray to be integrated, thus having a ASW capability from the get go? Just a guess mind.

          • As I posted above it was announced there was a common stockpile.

            I suspect this was agreed on the basis that UK didn’t want the Mk54 longterm and the US were more than happy to support UK stepping up the plate with P8 and wanted to smooth that path to get UK fully back in the AWS game.

            Good thing we did order those P8’s looking at where we are now. They will be working hard.

            Maybe time to order 5 more?

          • Hi @SB, didn’t see your earlier post, suspect we were beavering away at the same time.
            Not sure what is meant by ‘common stockpile,’ either, but suspect that all users have access to them!!
            Yes agree, what’s going on in Ukraine is rather bring home the point as to how lightweight we really are across the board currently.
            The million dollar question is will things improve for our AF in terms of a larger force properly equipped once this spat has run its course……

        • It was announced at time of purchase that there would be a “common stockpile” of munitions for the P8 with US forces.

          No idea what that means IRL.

          But if US forces use Mk54 then there will be a Mk54 footprint in the UK.

          • The UK RAF has access to and carries USN Mk54’s.

            If the RAF uses one, they buy it. Otherwise free to carry. Simple as that.

          • Yes, that is exactly what I meant.

            It is only paid for at the point of being an expended munition.

            Thanks for expressing it more clearly than I did.

            I think it is the same for Harpoon as well.

            It also allows RAF to opt for another ASW weapons option down the line and avoid sunk cost on a written off stockpile.

          • Except all torpedoes and the FIAM you put on the torpedo to attach it to the aircraft has limits on the amount of flight time before it needs regular servicing, depot level servicing or is written off( Written off is more applicable to FIAM)
            If we fly a Mk54 then at some point , someone is going to need to pay for servicing it and or replacing the FIAM.

          • GB you always bring in the facts and the oft never thought about issues and situation. Another great example of how you can never do better than subject matter experience! Keep posting mate.

      • As an aside is there an argument that this aircraft should be allowed to concentrate on detecting/tracking subs rather than (potentially) overloading them with attack roles, i.e. on surface vessels?

        • Well for me an ASW/MPA asset like P8 should be able to effectively prosecute submarines. We assume at present ours cannot, unless the torps have been acquired.

          Regards surface vessels, I believe aircraft and subs should go after those, not our escorts, so an ASM on fast jets would be my choice before nice to have but not essential on our escorts. FCASM great as has land attack.

          • What use is an ASW that can’t attack the sub it has detected?!$ Sure, there are a few purely patrol aircraft. but is supposed to be the premier ASW/MPA in, like, the world.

      • Haha Dam foreigners and there awkward names. You couldn’t make it up. Someone in the press dept with be in trouble next time they pass officer in the hallway.

      • And the person who wrote the press release must have been on Alan Sugar’s “Apprentice” recently…can’t even spell ‘Arctic’ right.

    • They would report it and If the orders are to attack it they use one of their mark 54 torpedoes or depth charges. There are weapons of both types located where they are needed. And spares located elsewhere. About as much as can be said on the matter.

      • I wasnt aware that the RAF still has depth charges?
        Thought the last we had were nuclear and long since withdrawn.

        • RN certainly has MK11 DC. Useful in shallow waters especially against Conventional Subs but not much use in the open ocean against a NUC.

          • Thanks GB. Yes, I believe carried by Merlin or Wildcat. I read MS’s post to mean that P8 carried them, thus my question.

  8. Plenty of USN P8s working alongside… we need some war stock yesterday, if there is one Ally to the US that would not be refused it is our P8s, almost a given; one would hope that they would be one.

    Good luck and come back safe.

  9. I note their recce skills need some brushing up? The Norwegian Frigates including HNLMS Van Amstel and the Norwegian submarine HNLMS Zeeleeuw are both in the Netherlands Navy I believe?

    The clue is the prefix “HNLMS” for Royal Netherlands Navy. The Norwegian Navy prefix is I believe “HNoMS”

  10. Well lets hope the RAF has started some preliminaries on dropping of Stingray torps. Peacetime that will take years to clear but in an emergency a bit quicker……hopefully.

    • If it needed to be done it could be and probably very quickly. I wouldnt be supprised if the drawings are not already done for future trials anyway. The settings for a Sting Ray prior to dropping it are pretty straight forward. Search Type, Search Depth and a few other settings. However fitting the Interface box, cabling, attachment hard points points for arming wires, Battery Ports Cover Removal, Interface Cable and parachute may need some work.

  11. I think you‘re getting your navies mixed up here. HNLMS van Amstel and Seeleeuw are Royal Netherlands Navy frigate and sub, not Norwegian.

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