Did You Know How the Navy’s New Anti-Submarine Surveillance Aircraft Traces beneath the Blue Waters?

By Mukarram Raza Last updated Mar 17, 2019

Commissioned by the US Navy in November 2013 the new Boeing P-8 Poseidon is unrivalled in its capabilities when it comes to long range anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, intelligence gathering and surveillance. The commercial Boeing 737NG series turned P-8 has an unmatched ability of detecting underwater submarines, surface ships, and other aircrafts.

The P-8 comes with an AN/APY-10 radar installed in its nose allowing it to detect, classify and identify ships, submarines and other water or airborne vessels. The plane’s underbelly contains high optical cameras which are capable of providing zoomed-in imaging inside 16 mile radius.

Magnet Anomaly Detector (MAD) installed in P-8 Poseidon’s tailpiece uses the variation in Earth’s Magnetic Field created by large moving metal objects such as submarines to detect their presence and location. Alternatively P-8s are also equipped with deployable sonobuoys to measure the sound propagation around the submerged vessels. A P-8 can deploy more than 100 sonobuoys in a single flight. The P-8s are also equipped with infra-red sensors for heat detection.

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In addition to its primary electronic warfare role, P-8 also carries free-fall bombs, depth charges, air to surface missiles and MK 54 torpedoes to counter-measure any imminent threat. The P-8s also have an Aerial Refuelling System making them capable of carrying out long duration missions.

The Navy currently owns 13 P-8 Poseidon aircrafts, with plans of buying another 117 units.