Project Description
The RAF Poseidon MRA1 is a multi-role maritime patrol aircraft, equipped with sensors and weapons systems primarily for anti-submarine warfare. Based on the Boeing 737-800, it also carries out surveillance and search and rescue missions.
What is Poseidon?
Working alongside the Royal Navy and close maritime allies such as the US and Norway, Poseidon locates, identifies and tracks potentially hostile submarines operating around UK waters. The nine-strong fleet based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland has reinstated the UK’s maritime patrol capability, lost when Nimrod went out of service in 2010.
The first seven in the fleet have so far been named: Pride of Moray, City of Elgin, Terence Bulloch, Spirit of Reykjavik, Fulmar, Guernsey’s Reply and William Barker.
Poseidon’s mission system features an APY-10 radar with modes for high-resolution mapping, an acoustic sensor system including passive and multi-static sonobuoys, an electro-optical/infrared turret and electronic support measures (ESM). This equipment delivers comprehensive search and tracking capability, while the aircraft’s weapons system includes Mk 54 torpedoes.
The nine-strong fleet based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland has reinstated the UK’s maritime patrol capability, lost when Nimrod went out of service in 2010.
How is Poseidon delivered?
Procured by DE&S and manufactured by Boeing, the final aircraft of the fleet – ZP809 – was delivered to the RAF in January 2022.
A contract worth more than £230 million is in place with Boeing Defence UK (BDUK) to provide support for the aircraft and training systems and services for aircrew and groundcrew to operate and support them. It also provides specialist engineering and logistic services, such as scheduled maintenance, spares, technical advice and capability upgrades.
Most of the 153 BDUK jobs created and sustained by this contract are based at Lossiemouth, while the remaining 46 jobs are spread across sites at Bristol, Yeovil and Gosport.
The fleet is operated from a £100m strategic facility called The Atlantic Building, procured by DE&S and opened in September 2020. It has a three-bay hangar, accommodation for squadrons, training, mission support and two state-of-the art flight simulators.
Meet our Poseidon team
Become part of the team
DE&S has half a dozen members of its Poseidon P-8A team permanently based at Lossiemouth, plus other team members based at MOD Abbey Wood.
Team Leader Malcolm French said: “Over the past couple of years, the Poseidon aircraft has increasingly made its operational mark. Most evidently, it has restored our island nation’s Maritime Patrol Aircraft capability, monitoring the oceans to track potentially hostile subsurface and surface vessels.
“We are extremely proud to stand behind this important military capability with its range of technical, logistic and programmatic services.”
