RAAF P-8A assists in civilian SAR mission
The Royal Australian Air Force’s new (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon aircraft has assisted in a search and rescue (SAR) operation approximately 50km south of Mount Gambier, Victoria, the RAAF announced on 17 May.
During a training mission from its RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia, the P-8A Poseidon intercepted a mayday call from a distressed vessel, the MV Port Princes, on 16 May 2017. Port Princes was taking on water with four crew on board.
The P-8A assisted the rescue of the vessel's captain and crew by providing communications assistance and relaying real-time imagery of the event to the Rescue Coordination Centre in Canberra.
This is the first SAR response completed by P-8A Poseidon since the aircraft’s arrival in Australia in November 2016. The aircraft is still undergoing test and evaluation activities before a formal introduction into service.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US Navy seeks the best combinations of crewed vessels with commercial UAVs and USVs]()
US Navy seeks the best combinations of crewed vessels with commercial UAVs and USVs
The service will conduct Operation Southern Spear to identify the most appropriate manned/unmanned formations for domain awareness and counternarcotics operations.
-
![Lockheed Martin wins contract to build the Trident II D5 Life Extension missile]()
Lockheed Martin wins contract to build the Trident II D5 Life Extension missile
The company will also invest in new production facilities to service the ongoing need for the D5LE2.
-
![New deals awarded for US submarine electronic warfare systems and the USS Ronald Reagan]()
New deals awarded for US submarine electronic warfare systems and the USS Ronald Reagan
The US Government has awarded contracts to upgrade electronic warfare systems, missile availability, and the USS Ronald Reagan for future missions.
