Boeing has marked two major milestones for the RAAF, with the addition of the first P-8A Poseidon to a major upgrade program and the delivery of the fleet’s 13th aircraft, further strengthening Australia’s maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capability.
Under the four-year Increment 3 Block 2 program, Australia’s P-8A fleet will receive upgraded antennas, sensors and software designed to improve processing power and communications, significantly increasing the aircraft’s ability to detect, track and attack advanced submarines.
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Australia is the first international P-8A operator to receive the Increment 3 upgrade, with delivery of the RAAF’s 13th Poseidon taking place on 29 September. The fourteenth and final aircraft is scheduled to arrive in 2026.
Naomi Smith, director of maintenance operations at Boeing Defense Australia, welcomed the upgrades and enhanced capabilities they will bring to the RAAF.
“These upgrades, together with the delivery of the 13th P-8A, mark two important developments for Australia’s defense of its vast coastline,” he said.
“Increment 3 Block 2 will provide next-generation detection and targeting for our aircrews, while the newest aircraft strengthens fleet readiness and operational reach, all while maintaining full interoperability with the U.S. Navy’s P-8A fleet.”
The first two aircraft will undergo modifications at Boeing’s maintenance and repair facility in Jacksonville, United States, marking the first international upgrades performed there.
The remaining aircraft will be upgraded in Australia at BDA’s deep maintenance and modification facility near RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, supported by more than 30 new trainees and trainees who have already joined Boeing Defense Australia, with a further 30 positions to be created as the program expands.
The RAAF currently operates 12 Poseidons at No. 11 and No. 292 Squadrons in Edinburgh, with two more on order. Since entering service in 2016, the P-8A has been deployed in a wide range of operations, ranging from anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare to search and rescue and maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Based on the Boeing 737-800, the P-8A is designed specifically for military service and features a reinforced airframe, an internal fuel capacity of 34 tons and multiple weapons hardpoints. The aircraft can operate more than 2,000 kilometers from the base and is fully compatible with the KC-30A tanker aircraft for in-flight refueling.
