The next two P-8 Poseidon aircraft are soon to be delivered, bringing the UK fleet up to 4 aircraft with a total of 9 being procured.
Our next two @P8A_PoseidonRAF are almost ready to join their two siblings in the UK to grow @CXX_Squadron.#NextGenRAF #SecuringTheSeas #TeamLossie pic.twitter.com/heaywX7xd4
— Royal Air Force (@RoyalAirForce) August 24, 2020
The official Twitter account of the P-8 force said:
“Very excited to see our next 2 Poseidon in the final stages of build. Thanks Boeing, keep up the great work.”
The British Poseidon MRA Mk1 fleet currently comprises of two aircraft with seven more to be delivered. According to the Royal Air Force, Poseidon will now be patrolling the seas, “hunting potentially hostile submarines and helping to defend our nuclear deterrent”.
The RAF added in a release:
“It uses the very latest in cutting-edge technology to detect, identify and monitor hostile contacts both above and below the waves. It can carry up to 129 sonobuoys to search for enemy submarines and can be armed with Mk54 torpedoes if required to attack enemy submarines. Our Poseidon aircraft are operated by 54 Squadron and 120 Squadron, who are currently flying from Kinloss Airfield in Moray, Scotland.
Poseidon will move to its permanent home at RAF Lossiemouth later this year once the refurbishment work on the runways and airfield infrastructure has been completed, including the new Strategic Facility which is being delivered by Defence Equipment and Support. Our second Poseidon squadron, Number 201 Squadron, will also stand up later this year.”
I was driving next to Kinloss the other day whilst sea fishing, and I stoped to look at the new Poseidon’s sitting parked up next to the runway and the fence was only a couple feet high! I was surprised that I could if wanted walk right upto the P8s!
Any Sea Bass around Cam…or is it too late in the season?
Hi Herodotus, Not sure about sea bass I’ve never caught or fished for any up here, I was crab and mackerel fishing and a little estuary salmon fishing, I caught plenty crabs and a few mackerel but no salmon that day! The dolphins were playing with the salmon all day and It was really entertaining Watching them play with them like toys then swallowing them whole! So I didn’t mind not catching salmon.
It’s been reported a few times that airbase defenses are really really poor. I guess the working assumption is there is currently no real risk to the UK mainland and so why attack the planes.
Yeah I suppose Steve, but I was shocked at how easily if wanted I could have gotten into the base and walked around the P8s! However at the main gate it’s almost impossible to get in!
So the gate is safe good I was worried just for a moment
But the fence at the end of the runway (next to the road) Right next to The Duke of Edinburgh Nimrod is Easily accessible, I could climb over it as it’s a meter or so high and the P8s are a couple hundred meters ahead from that tiny fence…
I doubt you’d get far before being picked up on whatever surveillance systems that are there.
Getting over outer fences on many sites is easy enough. It is the inner sections with the sensitive stuff you’d get nowhere near.
I am not sure that defences of MoD establishments should be discussed on a public site.
Totally different to how the RN cossets the Carriers in Portsmouth. Each has a marine police launch stationed off with a roaming Rhib hovering around to boot.
The carriers in Portsmouth have Military armed guards all over the joint with police boats with armed cops Patrolling. I Suppose that’s actually a good thing protecting our Capital ships, but Faslanes a different story, they have 500+ RM commandos permanently based with a bunch of different Craft and weapons to operate with.
Perhaps the RM are bored and hope someone does try to hop the fence!
You’ll still find that its Jolly Jack standing with a bang-stick on the casings of the fleet boats in Faslane, Plenty MOD plod about the place but you hardly see a booty near a submarine and its not just because they’re really well camouflaged. A few more hang around the bomber ‘compound’ but I don’t know what the rest of them do.
Thanks Cam….I haven’t been sea fishing for yonks. Now that I am retired I intend to spend more time enjoying nature…you are obviously an enthusiast. Bass is my favourite fish to eat but have only ever caught two! I love fresh mackerel cooked over a beach fire…nothing finer with crusty bread an a good rhubarb compote!
Sounds great, I might try for bass I’ve never ate or caught it, but I love fresh mackerel over a bbq straight After being caught you can’t beat it…
You should go for a fish Herodotus, it’s great for nature also isn’t it. Up here we have dolphins, red squirrel, and lots of salmon, I only catch the salmon though ?, and luckily I get to see RAF typhoons daily and now the new P8s when fishing, But I’m not sure if I prefer seeing the millitary hardware or Nature!
They need LRASM & SLAM-ER.
Progress but still too few. Better than having zero, which was the great acheivement of our illustrious leaders previously! Gapping entire capabilities, a major form of insanity. Get them some AShMs asap as we have so few warships capable of eliminating enemy warships.
With only 9 on order why do we need 2 squadrons? With all the associated Squadron overheads etc …Used to be a squadron had around 10-12 aircraft.
Here’s an idea. Boeing has about 400 +/-, 737 Max planes in storage. The probability is these planes may never get permission to carry passengers. That’s if any passengers would trust flying in them.
Why not buy a couple of dozen at bargain basement prices and convert them to missile trucks for F-35’s or basic Patrol/Strike/Ground Support aircraft.
I actually like that idea. All the targeting data can be passed to the missiles in flight, leaving the Max to be a “missile truck” as it were.
I’ve been thinking the same for the navy. Why not have a missile barge without the sensors and fancy stuff. Just a bunch of containerised launch tubes or VLS etc. And have the tracking data passed directly to the missiles.
No need for a main gun, no hangar, no massive radar masts, no c&c war room, etc.
M@
I think with AI and micro drones, it will have to be quanity rather than quality in future.
It does concern me the amount of ammunition stocks we have. Not only that, some Nations like China are fielding very realistic “fake” tanks, ships and aircraft. What a sore day it would be for us to use the limited stock we have on a column of decoys… only to realise the real threat is still out there untouched.
M@
There are 14 ex BritishAirways 747 Max at Kemble airfield in glorious Gloucesrershire sat there awaiting disposal. They are virtually brand new and could be used by MoD as missile trucks or for long range troop carrying capacity or simply disaster relief. Take away pressure from voyager fleet
I wonder who they’ll be named after ?
I propose John Cruickshank VC and Lloyd Trigg VC , 2 worthy names from Coastal Command and it would be great to see Flt Lt Cruickshank name ‘ his ‘ aircraft to commemorate his 100th birthday.
Sounds like a conversion kit may soon be available to turn these into long range bombers.