Alemania estudia ampliar su flota de P-8A Poseidon

 

Alemania podría reforzar aún más sus capacidades de patrulla marítima ante la posibilidad de un nuevo pedido del Boeing P-8A Poseidon. Aunque no hay una decisión oficial, diversas informaciones apuntan a que Berlín estaría evaluando la adquisición de hasta cuatro aeronaves adicionales.

Alemania ya ha comprometido una flota de ocho P-8A Poseidon, destinados a sustituir a los veteranos P-3C Orion y a mejorar significativamente sus capacidades de guerra antisubmarina y vigilancia marítima. El avión, fabricado por Boeing, es utilizado ampliamente por más de la OTAN y está considerado como uno de los sistemas más avanzados de su categoría.

Ampliar la flota hasta unas doce unidades proporcionaría mayor flexibilidad operativa y una cobertura más sostenida, especialmente en zonas estratégicamente sensibles como el mar Báltico y el Atlántico Norte. Todo ello en un contexto de creciente atención a la seguridad marítima y a la actividad submarina en aguas europeas.

No obstante, esta posible ampliación sigue en fase exploratoria. Factores como el presupuesto, las necesidades operativas y otras prioridades de defensa serán determinantes para que Alemania dé el paso definitivo.

Aun así, esta posibilidad refleja una tendencia clara: Alemania continúa reforzando progresivamente sus capacidades de vigilancia marítima y guerra antisubmarina en respuesta a un entorno de seguridad cada vez más exigente.

Singapore to Buy Four Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft

The United States has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) that would see the Republic of Singapore acquire four Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft along with associated systems, torpedoes, and support equipment. The transaction — cleared by the U.S. State Department and notified to Congress — is valued at roughly USD 2.3 billion and formalises an acquisition process initiated in 2025. 

Singapore’s decision to select the P-8A follows a defence ministry announcement in September 2025 when Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing informed U.S. counterparts that the platform had been chosen to replace the RSAF’s ageing Fokker 50 maritime patrol fleet. 

The planned FMS package covers:

4 × Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft — fixed-wing maritime patrol and reconnaissance platforms

MK 54 lightweight torpedoes — submarine engagement weapons

Sensors, mission systems, spares, and technical support tailored to the RSAF requirements

The equipment mix is designed to deliver a complete radar, acoustic, and weapons suite that enables wide-area patrol and undersea threat engagement well beyond the capability of the turboprop aircraft currently in service. 

The P-8A Poseidon is a multi-role aircraft optimised for maritime security missions including anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and search-and-rescue operations. It integrates long-range sensors, sonobuoy launch systems, and weapons delivery capabilities that allow coordinated tracking and prosecution of contacts across broad maritime areas. 

For Singapore — an island city-state reliant on secure sea lines of communication — improving maritime domain awareness and undersea threat response is a strategic priority. Its surrounding waters are among the busiest in the world for commercial shipping and naval activity, and regional submarine capabilities are expanding. 

The planned P-8As will replace a fleet of five Fokker 50 MPAs that have served the RSAF’s 121 Squadron since the early 1990s, addressing limitations in endurance, sensor range, and interoperability with modern networked systems. 

The move underscores the close defence relationship between Singapore and the United States, which spans training, joint exercises, and equipment interoperability. Singapore currently operates a mix of U.S. platforms — including F-15 and F-16 fighters, CH-47 Chinooks, and AH-64 Apaches — and has an ongoing programme to field F-35 Lightning II jets in the near term. 

From a regional perspective, this acquisition aligns Singapore with other Indo-Pacific partners that have invested in the Poseidon to improve anti-submarine and maritime surveillance capabilities. Increased undersea activity in the South China Sea, Strait of Malacca, and wider Indian Ocean underscores why modern MPAs are a priority for small but strategically placed maritime powers.

The P-8A represents a significant leap in tactical reach and sensor networking compared with the RSAF’s legacy turboprops. Its long-range radar, acoustic processing suite, and torpedo deployment options will broaden Singapore’s patrol footprint and improve its ability to detect, classify, and respond to surface and subsurface contacts.

Commonality with U.S. and allied Poseidon operators will also aid coalition operations, data sharing, and participation in joint exercises — a valuable attribute in asymmetric maritime environments.

The platform’s ISR suite and ability to integrate with allied C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) networks will support both peacetime security and crisis scenarios, from piracy response to humanitarian support.

Singapore expects to phase the P-8A into service by the early 2030s, with delivery timelines tied to final contract approvals and integration activities. The RSAF’s broader maritime force modernisation — including new submarines, upgraded frigates, and expanded ISR assets — will complement the Poseidon’s role in national defence.

Final congressional approval and formal contract signatures are still required under the FMS process. However, the U.S. clearance marks a key milestone and signals continued convergence of defence interests between Singapore, the United States, and other maritime partners in the Indo-Pacific.

🇩🇪 Germany Orders MQ‑9B SeaGuardian UAS to Augment P‑8A Poseidon MMA

In a significant step to sharpen its maritime surveillance and anti‑submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities, Germany’s Federal Ministry of Defence has ordered eight MQ‑9B SeaGuardian remotely piloted aircraft systems (UAS) from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI). The acquisition, valued at roughly €1.52 billion (~$1.75–$1.78 billion), was executed through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) and marks a major investment in maritime domain awareness for German naval forces.

The SeaGuardian is a medium‑altitude, long‑endurance (MALE) remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) optimized for maritime intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) and ASW missions. It stems from the MQ‑9B family, a next‑generation design that offers:

Endurance of up to ~30 hours, significantly outlasting manned platforms on patrol. 

A suite of maritime sensors, including multi‑mode radars, electro‑optical and infrared cameras, and acoustic sonobuoy dispensers to detect surface and subsurface contacts. 

Pole‑to‑pole satellite control and certified detect‑and‑avoid systems for safe operations in civilian airspace. 

The configuration selected by Germany allows the SeaGuardian to focus initially on surveillance and reconnaissance, with planned upgrades to full ASW capability — including sonobuoy deployers — slated for the early 2030s. 

Germany is simultaneously expanding its manned maritime patrol fleet with eight Boeing P‑8A Poseidon MMA aircraft, the first of which arrived in November 2025. Together with SeaGuardian, the Poseidon forms a complementary maritime ISR and ASW toolkit:

P‑8A Poseidon: High‑speed (~900 km/h/c. 560 mph), highly capable in sensor payload and weapons delivery (torpedoes, missiles). 

MQ‑9B SeaGuardian: Persistent long‑range presence over sea lanes and choke points with extended loiter times that fill endurance gaps left by crewed platforms. 

In practice, SeaGuardians can patrol broad maritime zones such as the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea, cueing Poseidons or other assets for detailed engagement or prosecution of contacts. 

Interoperability with NATO partners was a key element in Germany’s choice of the MQ‑9B platform. With allies like the UK, Belgium, Poland, and Denmark already acquiring variants of the MQ‑9B series, shared systems simplify coalition planning, training, and logistics. 

Germany plans to operate SeaGuardians from Naval Air Wing 3 “Graf Zeppelin” at Nordholz, the same base tasked with its Poseidon MMA fleet, ensuring integrated command and control. 

The deal includes four certifiable ground control stations, enabling safe unmanned operations even in civilian airspace and bolstering Germany’s ability to conduct wide‑area maritime surveillance with persistent continuity. 

Meanwhile, crew training programs, infrastructure upgrades at Nordholz, and interoperability exercises with NATO allies will prepare German forces for operational employment of the new UAS fleet ahead of active service entry. 

Germany’s investment in the SeaGuardian fleet represents a broader shift toward multi‑layered maritime surveillance and ASW posture. In an era of increasing submarine activity and strategic competition in Europe’s northern and eastern waters, persistent ISR and quick response options are critical to securing sea lines of communication and safeguarding critical infrastructure — from undersea cables to shipping routes. 

This blended force of unmanned and manned systems not only extends Germany’s maritime reach but also strengthens NATO’s collective capacity to monitor and respond to evolving underwater and surface threats.

US Approves $300M MK 54 Torpedo Sale for Germany's P-8A Aircraft Enhancement

In a significant move reinforcing international security cooperation, the State Department has given its nod to a prospective Foreign Military Sale (FMS) for the Government of Germany, approving the acquisition of MK 54 Lightweight Torpedoes alongside associated equipment, estimating a total cost of $300 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) fulfilled the essential certification, formally notifying Congress of this potential sale today.

Germany has formally made a request to purchase a quantity of up to eighty (80) MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight Torpedoes (LWT). This procurement includes a comprehensive package featuring MK 54 Mod 0 LWT spare parts, Recoverable Exercise Torpedoes (REXTORPs) complete with containers, handling shapes and containers, spare parts for torpedoes, tools facilitating the mounting and dismounting of Air Launch Accessories (ALAs), equipment necessary for analyzing REXTORP exercise shots, maintenance tools for REXTORPs, training provisions, publications, support and test equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and various other connected logistics and program support components. The overall cost is estimated to reach $300 million.

This proposed transaction stands as a testament to the commitment of the United States in bolstering not only its foreign policy but also its national security interests. By equipping a NATO Ally with enhanced capabilities, crucially aiding political and economic stability in Europe, this initiative aims to fortify security measures on a global scale.

The prospective sale is set to significantly augment Germany’s Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities specifically on its P-8A aircraft, effectively empowering the nation to address existing and emerging threats with heightened efficacy. Importantly, Germany is well-prepared to seamlessly integrate this cutting-edge equipment into its armed forces.

It is imperative to note that the proposed sale of this sophisticated equipment and the provision of support will not tilt the established military equilibrium in the region.

Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, headquartered in Portsmouth, RI, stands as the primary contractor for this venture. As of now, there are no known offset agreements proposed in conjunction with this potential sale.

Canada Acquires 16 P-8A Poseidon Aircraft for Royal Canadian Air Force

Canada has finalized a government-to-government agreement with the United States government for the acquisition of up to 16 P-8A Poseidon aircraft for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Fourteen multi-mission aircraft will be procured, with options for up to an additional two.

The P-8A will replace Canada’s current maritime patrol aircraft, the CP-140 Aurora, which has been in service for more than 40 years. As it ages, the CP-140 aircraft is becoming increasingly difficult to support, expensive to sustain, and less operationally relevant.

The P-8A is already operated by the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Germany has eight units on order.

The estimated investment for this project is $10.4 billion CAD; it includes up to $5.9 billion USD for the P-8A, associated equipment, training devices and sustainment set-up. The balance will cover additional investments in simulators, infrastructure and weapons.

With this acquisition of this platform Canada hopes to defend Canadian interests in maritime approaches and the Arctic.

The first P-8A should be delivered in 2026, and with an average of one aircraft delivered per month, all of the aircraft could be delivered as early as fall 2027. We anticipate full operational capability by 2033.

Boeing plans to integrate Canadian companies into the manufacturing, development, and maintenance processes, with an expected creation of 3,000 jobs, resulting in an annual impact of $358 on the Canadian GDP.

Germany Boosts P-8 Poseidon Fleet with Additional Three Aircraft, Total Order Reaches Eight

 

Germany's naval aviation, the Marineflieger, is set to bolster its fleet with the procurement of three more Poseidon maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft. This acquisition brings the total P-8A fleet count for the Marineflieger to eight, as announced by the Ministry of Defence today. The added investment is valued at €1.1 billion.

Previously, speculation arose in November concerning Germany's request to modify an existing Foreign Military Sale (FMS) agreement for five P-8A aircraft initially approved in 2021, valued at $1.77 billion, with deliveries expected to commence in 2024. The procurement of the additional three aircraft will enable the German Marineflieger to replace its aging P-3C fleet on a one-to-one basis.

The decision to augment the fleet comes after the older Orion MPA, acquired from the Netherlands in 2006, encountered increasing availability issues over the years. Originally intended for life-extension and service into the 2030s, a collaborative program with France, the Maritime Airborne Warfare System (MAWS), aimed to replace both the German P-3C and the French Breguet Atlantique ATL2 MPA. Unfortunately, this joint effort faced a significant setback when the German life-extension program failed, leading to the effective retirement of the single airframe used for evaluation.

The German MPAs have been actively deployed in NATO- and EU-related missions, including anti-piracy patrols off Somalia and surveillance flights in the Mediterranean off Libya. With the failure of the life-extension program, pressure mounted on the Marineflieger and the Ministry of Defence to address the issue promptly.

Germany had initially viewed the purchase of five Poseidons as an "interim" solution until the operationalization of MAWS, which aims to replace all retired Breguet Atlantique ATL1 aircraft. However, the total requirement for the Marineflieger's MPA-component stands at twelve aircraft, necessitating a full replacement of the retired Atlantique ATL1 that reached the end of their service life, leading to the Orion purchase.

While there had been discussions to acquire up to seven additional Poseidons for Germany, events such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 prompted Chancellor Scholz to emphasize increased defense spending and NATO contributions. Nonetheless, due to funding constraints, the German Navy is unlikely to acquire the full desired number of aircraft.

The recently published "Zielbild Marine 2035+" now confirms the acquisition of eight P-8A aircraft, fulfilling the immediate requirement for naval aviation. Although this addition of three aircraft falls short of the optimum target, it effectively revitalizes the existing Orion fleet. However, the original characterization of the purchase as "interim" now faces significant doubt regarding its long-term viability. Furthermore, integrating the American P-8A into any Franco-German maritime warfare system appears impractical without pertinent technical consents from the United States, not to mention the substantial associated costs.

United Kingdom is deploying P-8 maritime patrol aircraft and Royal Navy ships to Middle East

The British government has announced a comprehensive deployment package intended to bolster Israel, mitigate the risk of escalation, and provide humanitarian assistance. This package includes Royal Air Force P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, various unspecified surveillance assets, two Royal Fleet Auxiliary support vessels, three Merlin helicopters, and a contingent of Royal Marines. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary plays a critical support role within the Royal Navy.

Maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft operations are scheduled to commence as early as October 13 to monitor threats to regional security, such as illicit weapons transfers to terrorist organizations.

In addition, a Royal Navy task force will set sail for the region next week as a precautionary measure to further assist humanitarian initiatives. This task force will consist of the landing ship dock RFA Lyme Bay and the support and hospital vessel RFA Argus. 

New Zealand receives first P-8A Poseidon

New Zealand received the first of four Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft

The milestone comes four years after the New Zealand Government entered into an agreement with the U.S. Navy for the P-8A.

Boeing Defence Australia will provide sustainment services for New Zealand’s.

New Zealand’s three remaining P-8 aircraft are all in advanced stages of production and will be delivered in 2023. The aircraft will replace New Zealand’s current fleet of six P-3K2 Orions and will be based at Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Ohakea.

navalnews

Additional P-8A for Germany and perhaps for France

German defense leaders have vowed to coordinate closely with France on a beefed-up capability for maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare, following reports that Berlin’s acquisition of American-made Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft would nix the bilateral project.

The vow to continue pursuing the Maritime Airborne Warning System, aimed at flying sometime around 2035, suggests the German Defence Ministry has yet to make up its mind on buying more Poseidon aircraft than the initial five already on order with Boeing.

Reports swirled before the summer break in Germany that buying seven more of the planes was only a matter of time, after lawmakers approved an extra €100 billion (U.S. $97 billion) for defense in light of Russia’s assault on Ukraine.

That massive pot of money is rapidly getting spoken for, however, with ammunition, aircraft, vehicles and additional submarines high on the list of requirements. Inflation has also shaved off some of the purchasing power.

Now, officials in Berlin will await France’s signal next month on how to proceed with an interim capability until the MAWS program produces usable equipment in 19-plus years, according to a ministry missive to lawmakers obtained by Defense News.

The Germany Navy’s P-3C Orion aircraft are getting old and can only be flown for a few more years, services officials have said.

defensenews

NEWS 2022 March, 22

USAF deploys F-16s from Aviano AB to Croatia

Two F-16s deployed from Aviano Air Base, Italy, to Croatia on March 16, taking part in  combat employment exercises and bolstering NATO’s southeastern flank, the Air Force announced.

The F-16 fighters’ arrival comes just a few days after a military drone crashed in the Croatian capital of Zagreb amid nearby war between Russia and Ukraine. Croatian officials say the drone had a bomb, but they have not determined whether it was Russian or Ukrainian. The incident has led Croatian leaders to criticize NATO for a perceived slow response.

On March 15, Newsweek reported that Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in a press conference that the U.S. would send the F-16s to “give support of Croatia’s security.”

A subsequent press release from U.S. Air Forces in Europe stated that the fighters would deploy to Croatia’s 91st Air Base at Pleso, just outside the capital.

This marks just the latest deployment of USAF fighters to Eastern Europe. In the lead-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, F-16s deployed to Romania, F-15s went to Poland, and F-35s landed in Germany. As the invasion first unfolded, F-35s from Germany were deployed to NATO’s eastern flank, including Romania. A B-52 also deployed to the region around the same time, as part of what USAFE called a “long-planned Bomber Task Force Europe mission over the Arctic and Baltic Sea regions.”

airforcemag 

NATO deploys Patriot missiles to Slovakia

The Patriot air defence system has started arriving in Slovakia from NATO countries.

The system will be operated by German and Dutch troops and will initially be deployed at the Sliac airport to help reinforce the defence of NATO's eastern flank.

The Patriot system will be part of a new NATO battlegroup in Slovakia, which neighbours Ukraine.

Russia has warned against any shipments of advanced air defences to Ukraine and has warned it may target Western arms supplies.

reuters

Production of first New Zealand P-8 has started

Boeing has “laid the keel” of the first P-8A destined for the New Zealand Defence Force, . New Zealand holds orders for four of the jets.

Aircraft keels run the length of fuselage bellies, though P-8 keels have “unique aspects of the P-8 configuration, such as the integration of an internal weapons bay”, Boeing says.

The New Zealand Defence Force will use the Boeing-built maritime patrol aircraft, powered by CFM International CFM56 turbofans, to replace six ageing Lockheed P-3K2 Orion turboprops.

Current operators include the armed forces of Australia, India, Norway, the United Kingdom and the USA. Customers yet to begin flying the jets include Germany, New Zealand and South Korea.

flightglobal

MiG-31 Still Strong launching Kinzhal Hypersonyc Missiles in Ukraine war

Russia announced the use of the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal (Dagger) air-launched high-speed ballistic missile for the first time against a target in Ukraine on 19 March.

A video released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Russian Federation purportedly showed the missile being used against a Ukrainian ammunition depot in the west of the country.

janes

NEWS 2022 March, 4

First B-21 has been taken out the production facility and moved to Hangar for Loads Calibration

The first B-21 expected to fly is largely assembled and has moved to a calibration facility, one of the last steps before powering systems and making final checks ahead of first flight.

First B-21 has got landing gear, wheels and wings. Six B-21s are now under construction at Northrop Grumman’s Palmdale, Calif.

The loads calibration test ensures the structure and gives an insight about if the design meet the needs

The aircraft has not yet been assigned a tail number or name and there is not date of rollout and first flight

airforcemag

RAF P-8 JOINS NATO TO TRACK RUSSIAN VESSELS IN MEDITERRANEAN

A Royal Air Force Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft has joined other NATO ships and aircraft to locate and track Russian Navy warships in the Mediterranean Sea.Deployed to the region on a training exercise, the aircraft was reassigned to support a coalition of NATO warships tasked with the shadowing of Russian vessels.

raf

US Navy recovers wreckage of F-35C that crashed South China Sea

In order to retrieve the wreckage of the military aircraft from "approximately 12,400 feet" deep, a team of US Navy service members used a "remotely-operated vehicle" called the CURV-21 to attach "specialized rigging and lift lines to the aircraft" at the bottom of the ocean.

The US Navy on Wednesday recovered from the bottom of the South China Sea the wreckage of a F-35C that crashed into the deck of a US aircraft carrier in January, the US Navy's 7th Fleet announced in a news release Thursday.

The F-35C crashed into the ocean after failing to make a successful landing on the USS Carl Vinson, while conducting "routine flight operations" on January 24.

cnn

USS Gerald Ford completes sea trials ahead of 2022 deployment

The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford concluded a maintenance availability and sea trials Monday in preparation for the its first deployment.

After completing modernization and maintenance work, then sea trials, during a sixth-month Planned Incremental Availability at Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia, the carrier arrived at Naval Station Norfolk to kick off training and certification.

navytimes

NEWS 2022, March 3rd

Norway receives its first P-8A 'Viking'

On February 24, Norway's first P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) landed at Norway's Evenes airport.
Norway’s new maritime surveillance aircraft, the P-8 Poseidon, will begin patrolling sea areas in 2023. 

The primary mission of P-8 Poseidon is to maintain maritime surveillance and to assist in the development of situational awareness in Norwegian local areas. 
navalnews

TURKEY LHD 'ANADOLU' ENTERS SEA TRIALS PHASE

On February 27, Turkey's Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), the future TCG Anadolu, based in Spanish LHD Juan Carlos I, which is set to become the flagship of the Turkish Navy (Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri) started sea trials.

The initial plan was to commission LHD Anadolu for the Turkish Navy in 2021, but due to delays for a variety of reasons, the deadline has had to be rescheduled. As a result, LHD Anadolu was expected to enter service in 2022, but SSB’s video and statement on the Turkish Defense Industry’s 2022 Projection do not include the LHD’s commissioning.

navalnews

FOUR RUSSIAN JETS VIOLATED SWEEDEN AIRSPACE

Sweeden said four Russian jet fighters violated its airspace the day after the country’s prime minister said her government will seek to boost the country’s military capabilities in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Swedish military officials said the four fighters, two Russian SU-24s and two SU-27s, entered into Swedish airspace on Wednesday just east of the island of Gotland over the Baltic Sea.

A Swedish Jas 39 Gripen fighter tracked the incursion and took photographs of the Russian jets, which quickly left the area.

menafn.com

TURKEY SENDS ADDITIONAL TB2 BAYRAKTAR UCAVs to UKRAINE

Turkey has airlifted additional Baykar Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) to Ukraine. The Ukrainian defence minister said on 2 March that new combat ready TB2s had arrived in the country as part of a package of international military assistance. 

The minister's statement followed rumours of a delivery of new TB2s from Turkey after a Turkish Air Force Airbus A400M transport aircraft was tracked flying from Ankara to Poland on 1 March. Prior to the Russian invasion, Ukraine was known to have received six TB2s from Turkey. The minister did not say how many additional TB2s had been delivered. The TB2 is the only UCAV in Ukrainian service and was first used by the country in October 2021. 

Footage released by the Ukrainian government since the launch of offensive Russian operations on 24 February has shown the TB2s to have been heavily engaged in the fighting, destroying several ground vehicles. The TB2 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that was developed to provide the Turkish Army with a tactical intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance capability. 

janes

RUSSIAN HELICOPTER ENTERS JAPAN AEROSPACE

Japan scrambled a fighter jet on Wednesday in response to what appeared to be a Russian helicopter entering its airspace, amid heightened tensions over the crisis in Ukraine. 

The helicopter crossed into Japanese airspace over waters off of the northern island of Hokkaido, the defense ministry said in a brief statement. 

Japan issued warnings and sent an Air Self-Defense Force fighter to respond to the incursion, the ministry said. Tokyo issued a protest with the Russian government through a diplomatic channel. newsbreak

KC-46 and P-8 production line to reopen

Boeing will restart production of the P-8 and KC-46 on Monday after a three-week pause in operations spurred by the spread of the novel coronavirus in Washington state.
The company temporarily shut down operations in the Puget Sound region on March 25. Boeing’s sites in Washington focus primarily on the development and production of commercial airliners and militarized variants of those aircraft, such as the KC-46 tanker made in Everett and ­­the P-8 submarine hunting plane made in Renton.
defensenews

RAF AIRCREW HAVE COMMENCED FLYING PHASE OF TRAINING FOR P-8A POSEIDON

RAF aircrew have commenced the flying phase of training to fly the Poseidon MRA Mk1 (P-8A), the UK’s new maritime patrol aircraft.
Pilots, Weapons System Officers and Weapons Systems Operators have entered the simulator and flying phase of their six-month course. Meanwhile engineering personnel are similarly progressing through their course at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Florida.
The personnel, from CXX Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth, are being trained by a mix of US Navy and RAF P-8A ‘seedcorn’ one-way exchange instructors on a course which covers a substantial range of topics. This includes being trained to fly at medium and low level over the sea, so that the mission crew can train in Anti-Submarine Warfare and Anti-Surface Warfare.
raf

Russian SU-27 jet buzzes US P-8 over Baltic Sea

A P-8 Poseidon was intercepted by a Russian jet over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday. A Russian jet came within 20 feet of a Navy surveillance aircraft as it flew in international airspace over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday, CNN reported.
The intercept involving the Russian Su-27 jet and a Navy P-8 Poseidon was considered safe, but unprofessional. Tuesday’s intercept follows a January incident, when a Su-27 flew within 5 feet of a EP-3 Aries spy plane flying in international airspace over the Black Sea, forcing the American aircraft to fly through the Russian jet’s flight wash.
navytimes

Australia declares IOC for P-8A ahead of schedule

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has declared initial operating capability (IOC) for the Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime multimission aircraft (MMA), five months ahead of schedule.
The milestone, comes with six of the 12 aircraft currently under contract now at the type’s homebase of RAAF Edinburgh in South Australia. A further three aircraft are currently going through the approval process for a final fleet of 15.
Australia acquired the P-8A to replace the 19 Lockheed AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that have been in service since the 1960s. The 15 P-8As will be operated in tandem with seven Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), which will be acquired once development has been completed by the manufacturer and the US Navy (USN).
Deliveries to the Australia began in November 2016, since which time 10 and 11 Squadron have been building up the P-8A’s capabilities. .
Australia's P-8A programme dates back to June 2007.
In February 2014 the Australian government announced its approval for the acquisition of eight P-8A, with a further four being announced in July 2016. The final three were committed to in the 2016 Defence White Paper but are yet to be contracted..
janes

Pentagon seeks increased P-8 ties with Norway, UK

The United States, United Kingdom and Norway have agreed in principal to create a trilateral coalition built around the P-8 maritime aircraft — though exactly what that means remains unclear.
The Pentagon announced June 29 that the three countries had established a “statement of intent to lay out guiding principles for a trilateral partnership with P-8A aircraft.” In addition, the announcement said the nations are working on a “framework for further cooperation in areas such as readiness, enhancing defense capability, and interoperability.”
defensenews

New Zealand requests 4 P-8A Patrol Aircraft

New Zealand has requested the potential sale of up to four (4) P-8A Patrol Aircraft. Each includes: commercial engines, Tactical Open Mission Software (TOMS), Electro-Optical (EO) and Infrared (IR) MX-20HD, AN/AAQ-2(V)1 Acoustic System, AN/APY-10 Radar, ALQ-240 Electronic Support Measures. Also included are eight (8) Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS); five (5) Guardian Laser Transmitter Assemblies (GLTA) for the AN/AAQ-24(V)N; five (5) System Processors for AN/AAQ-24(V)N; thirty (30) AN/AAR-54 Missile Warning Sensors for the AN/AAQ-24(V)N; ten (10) LN-251 with Embedded Global Positioning Systems (GPS)/Inertial Navigations Systems (EGIs); support equipment; operation support systems; maintenance trainer/classrooms; publications; software, engineering, and logistics technical assistance; foreign Liaison officer support, contractor engineering technical services; repair and return; transportation; aircraft ferry; and other associated training, support equipment and services. The total estimated cost is $1.46 billion.
dsca

South Korea mulls purchase of four Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft

The South Korean military may buy four Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft in the wake of the successful test-firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) by North Korea on 24 August, the Korea JoongAng Ilbo newspaper quoted a senior government official as saying on 1 September.
"North Korea is preparing a number of strategic ways to attack the South using its submarine fleet on top of the SLBM development," said the official.
"We are discussing whether to purchase the latest maritime patrol aircraft to detect North Korean submarines to prevent surprise attacks from under water," he added.
janes

India Deploys P-8I Submarine-Hunting Surveillance Aircraft to Seychelles

The Indian Navy has dispatched the P-8I Neptune, to Seychelles for aerial surveillance of the island nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for the firs time.
The aircraft has been deployed since March 20 to conduct surveillance flights until March 23.
thediplomat