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Boeing has marked two major milestones for the RAAF, with the induction of the first P-8A Poseidon into 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 enhance processing power and communications, which will significantly boost the aircraft’s ability to detect, track, and engage 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 14th and final aircraft is scheduled to arrive in 2026.
Naomi Smith, director of Boeing Defence Australia sustainment operations, celebrated the upgrades and the enhanced capabilities they will bring to the RAAF.
“These upgrades, together with the delivery of the 13th P-8A, mark two important advancements for Australia’s defence of its vast coastline,” she said.
“Increment 3 Block 2 will deliver 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 modification at Boeing’s Jacksonville maintenance and repair facility in the US, the first international upgrades conducted there.
The remaining aircraft will be upgraded in Australia at BDA’s Deeper Maintenance and Modification Facility near RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, with the support of more than 30 new apprentices and trainees who have already joined Boeing Defence Australia, with a further 30 positions to be created as the program scales up.
The RAAF currently operates 12 Poseidons across No. 11 and No. 292 Squadrons at Edinburgh, with two more on order. Since entering service in 2016, the P-8A has been deployed across 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 purpose-built for military service, featuring a strengthened airframe, a 34-tonne internal fuel capacity, and multiple weapon hardpoints. The aircraft can operate over 2,000 kilometres from base and is fully compatible with the KC-30A tanker for air-to-air refuelling.
