Latest news with #P-8
Scoop
3 days ago
- General
- Scoop
Japanese Warships Arrive In Wellington
Two Japanese warships have arrived in Wellington for a three-day ceremonial visit. The ships had been holding a training manoeuvre with Australian and RNZAF P-8 martime aircraft. The pair were accompanied by HMNZS Canterbury, which was returning from the major, multi-country exercise Talisman Sabre. The New Zealand Defence Force said the helicopter destroyer JS Ise and destroyer JS Suzunami, with more than 500 crew, were on Indo-Pacific deployment and had sailed to Wellington from Sydney. "The intent of the deployment is to improve the JMSDF tactical capabilities and to strengthen cooperation and understanding with allied and partner navies in the Indo- Pacific, as well as contribute to the peace and stability of the region," the Defence Force said. New Zealand and Japan had a strong and long-standing relationship with a shared commitment to global and regional security, it said. "Both countries have recently been involved in Exercise Talisman Sabre, the multi-domain warfare exercise in Australia, while shortly HMNZS Aotearoa will be sailing to Japan where it will be based while conducting monitoring of United Nations sanctions." The helicopter destroyer Ise was in fact a small aircraft carrier, nearly 20,000 tons in size. It normally had four helicopters but was able to operate up to 18. It's accompanied by a destroyer, Suzunami. The Japanese maritime self defence force said the visit was to strengthen cooperation and understanding with allied and partner navies in the Indo-Pacific.
Yahoo
28-07-2025
- Yahoo
US Marines are getting in on Navy submarine hunting
Marines completed a training exercise deploying sonobuoys for submarine hunting from an MV-22 Osprey aircraft. The event marks increased Marine and Navy coordination in anti-submarine warfare. Sonobuoys can detect enemy submarines, allowing them to be targeted for attack. Marines just wrapped up a training exercise that saw troops tossing sonobuoys out of the back of MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, part of an effort meant to boost how the Marines and Navy can work together to fight enemy submarines. "We're past the question of whether the Marine Corps can contribute to ASW," said Navy Capt. Bill Howey, director of maritime operations for Commander, Submarine Group Two, in a press release on the training. "Now we're refining how they contribute and then integrating that into the fleet playbook." Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) involves detecting, tracking, and neutralizing enemy submarines using specialized ships, aircraft, sonar systems, and underwater weapons. It is a critical component of naval defense aimed at protecting fleets and strategic waterways from hidden underwater threats, though it hasn't traditionally been a mission in which Marines have been involved. Expendable sonobuoys, like those used in the exercise, are launched, or in this case dropped, from the air (from fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft and uncrewed airborne platforms) and are used for detecting and tracking submarines. They can also help with targeting subs for a torpedo attack. The recent training was part of a yearslong reshuffling for the Marine Corps from fighting counterinsurgency warfare in the Middle East toward peer-level warfare against adversarial nations like China or Russia. It seems to be among the first times the DoD has relied on the Osprey for sonobuoy deployment. Maj. Sean T. Penczak, the executive officer of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 said that "the Osprey's unique capabilities as a tiltrotor aircraft allow it to excel within the framework of distributed aviation operations and expeditionary advanced base operations." "Its ability to cover long ranges with a payload comparable to the P-8, while maximizing time on station for time-critical tasking, has made it highly effective in the anti-submarine warfare arena— demonstrating its versatility and value as emerging threats continue to evolve," he said of the Osprey. The other aircraft Penczak referenced is Boeing's P-8 Poseidon airplane, which is based on the civilian 737-800 and was created for maritime missions like anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare. The plane can deploy torpedoes and anti-ship missiles and serves as a premier airborne ASW platform. NATO countries have stepped up their anti-submarine warfare efforts in recent years in the Atlantic Ocean and Arctic amid more frequent Russian submarine activity. They are also ramping up efforts to combat unintentional damage and sabotage to undersea cables and critical infrastructure, sometimes relying on sensor systems, uncrewed surveillance, and patrols. Sonobuoys like the ones used recently aren't new to the US military's arsenal of submarine detection tools, though they are a new tool for Marines. The sensors were developed during World War II in response to German U-boats' attacks on Allied vessels in the Atlantic. A DoD technical paper described this tech as a "simple, reliable, inexpensive, technically complex, adaptive, and effective device that has been produced by the millions and used for almost seventy years." "A few years ago, the idea of Marines flying [anti-submarine warfare] missions might have raised eyebrows," Col. James C. Derrick, commanding officer, Marine Aircraft Group 26, said in his statement. "Now we're doing it as part of the plan, using the Osprey's unique capabilities to help enable naval maneuver." Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword
Business Insider
28-07-2025
- Science
- Business Insider
US Marines are getting in on Navy submarine hunting
Marines just wrapped up a training exercise that saw troops tossing sonobuoys out of the back of MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, part of an effort meant to boost how the Marines and Navy can work together to fight enemy submarines. "We're past the question of whether the Marine Corps can contribute to ASW," said Navy Capt. Bill Howey, director of maritime operations for Commander, Submarine Group Two, in a press release on the training. "Now we're refining how they contribute and then integrating that into the fleet playbook." Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) involves detecting, tracking, and neutralizing enemy submarines using specialized ships, aircraft, sonar systems, and underwater weapons. It is a critical component of naval defense aimed at protecting fleets and strategic waterways from hidden underwater threats, though it hasn't traditionally been a mission in which Marines have been involved. Expendable sonobuoys, like those used in the exercise, are launched, or in this case dropped, from the air (from fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft and uncrewed airborne platforms) and are used for detecting and tracking submarines. They can also help with targeting subs for a torpedo attack. The recent training was part of a yearslong reshuffling for the Marine Corps from fighting counterinsurgency warfare in the Middle East toward peer-level warfare against adversarial nations like China or Russia. It seems to be among the first times the DoD has relied on the Osprey for sonobuoy deployment. Maj. Sean T. Penczak, the executive officer of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 said that "the Osprey's unique capabilities as a tiltrotor aircraft allow it to excel within the framework of distributed aviation operations and expeditionary advanced base operations." "Its ability to cover long ranges with a payload comparable to the P-8, while maximizing time on station for time-critical tasking, has made it highly effective in the anti-submarine warfare arena— demonstrating its versatility and value as emerging threats continue to evolve," he said of the Osprey. The other aircraft Penczak referenced is Boeing's P-8 Poseidon airplane, which is based on the civilian 737-800 and was created for maritime missions like anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare. The plane can deploy torpedoes and anti-ship missiles and serves as a premier airborne ASW platform. NATO countries have stepped up their anti-submarine warfare efforts in recent years in the Atlantic Ocean and Arctic amid more frequent Russian submarine activity. They are also ramping up efforts to combat unintentional damage and sabotage to undersea cables and critical infrastructure, sometimes relying on sensor systems, uncrewed surveillance, and patrols. Sonobuoys like the ones used recently aren't new to the US military's arsenal of submarine detection tools, though they are a new tool for Marines. The sensors were developed during World War II in response to German U-boats' attacks on Allied vessels in the Atlantic. A DoD technical paper described this tech as a "simple, reliable, inexpensive, technically complex, adaptive, and effective device that has been produced by the millions and used for almost seventy years." "A few years ago, the idea of Marines flying [anti-submarine warfare] missions might have raised eyebrows," Col. James C. Derrick, commanding officer, Marine Aircraft Group 26, said in his statement. "Now we're doing it as part of the plan, using the Osprey's unique capabilities to help enable naval maneuver."
Business Insider
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
NATO is stepping up its anti-submarine warfare game — this flying hunter is key, top admiral says
NATO forces have seen noticeable improvements in anti-submarine operations in recent years, due in part to investments in more capable technology and surveillance platforms, a top US admiral told Business Insider on Wednesday. Adm. Stuart Munsch, the commander of US Naval Forces Europe-Africa, said that NATO has become increasingly involved and proficient in anti-submarine missions in the Atlantic Ocean and in the High North region. "They're to be applauded for their efforts," Munsch told BI during a phone interview from Iceland, where a US nuclear-powered submarine just made a historic first port visit. "That is one thing that has changed — I would say quite noticeably — over time." The US and its NATO allies are increasingly concerned about Russia's growing military activity, including its underwater presence, around the North Atlantic and Arctic regions. Western officials in recent years have drawn attention to Russia's submarine activity around the European continent, making it critical that NATO has the appropriate tools and systems to track these vessels and counter them if needed. Munsch said anti-submarine warfare is one of the hardest missions to execute in naval operations. The tasks are highly complex, personnel involved need to be highly proficient in the systems, and the technology must be tough and resilient to work effectively in the undersea environment. Russia has very capable submarines, such as the Yasen-class submarines, that are very difficult to track, making missions to keep tabs on their boats even more challenging. These assets represent real threats to NATO, so the alliance monitors the subs closely. "With the purchase of new ships and aircraft, and equipment, the technology has gotten progressively better among allies, and then bringing that all together with exercises," Munsch said. "So, in the realm of naval aviation, it supports anti-submarine warfare." Munsch specifically singled out an uptick in the procurement of the P-8 Poseidon by several NATO allies. The plane is a highly capable multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft made by American aerospace company Boeing and developed for the US Navy to replace the P-3 Orion. The P-8, a derivative of the civilian 737-800, can carry out anti-submarine warfare, maritime patrol, and reconnaissance missions. It is equipped with advanced technology, such as a synthetic aperture radar, an infrared sensor turret, and heightened acoustic capabilities. The aircraft carries sonobuoys and can also be armed with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles. In addition to the US, which flies dozens of P-8s, the UK, Norway, and Germany all collectively operate a handful of these aircraft. Canada, another ally, will join them in the coming years. NATO countries operating the P-8 also share their facilities, and even though Iceland doesn't fly the aircraft, the country allows the alliance to use its bases for deployments and maintenance, making it easier for operators to work together, Munsch said. Last year, for instance, Germany and the UK signed a key defense pact that will see Berlin periodically operate its P-8s out of a Royal Air Force base in Scotland, from which they will conduct patrols over the North Atlantic. Munsch said that the ability for the US to collaborate with NATO allies on high-end naval warfare "has gone up significantly" compared to that of previous years, and that is a major advantage. He said these efforts are not necessarily a reflection of anything new. Russia has been engaged in aggressive behavior for years now, especially from the onset of its initial 2014 invasion of Ukraine, and procuring large platforms like aircraft is a yearslong process. But it is coming together more noticeably to boost capability. Amid a surge in defense spending since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, NATO militaries have also made more recent purchases directly driven by war, such as uncrewed and autonomous systems. The P-8s are just one of many tools that the US and NATO militaries have to monitor Russia's submarine force, one of the largest fleets in the world, with an estimated 64 active vessels capable of carrying powerful cruise and ballistic missiles. Western forces can also track Russia with their own submarines, as well as helicopters and patrol vessels, which the UK demonstrated just a few days ago. Meanwhile, drones are increasingly proving capable of underwater surveillance missions. "The Russians recognize that much of their status and influence in the world stems from their military activity," Munsch said, adding that Moscow's submarine force is among its greatest strengths. When Russia "had significant budget problems after the Cold War, among the things that they did focus on maintaining was their ability to operate in the undersea environment," Munsch said. That, he added, is partly "why the United States Navy maintained our proficiency and our operations the way that we did, to make sure that we were always in a position that we could counter whatever Russia might be doing."
Daily Record
24-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Boeing celebrate Reserves Day with nod to Ayrshire pilot
Mark Faulds from Fenwick is both a reservist in the RAF and a lead pilot instructor for Boeing An Ayrshire pilot has been recognised by a global aircraft manufacturer on Reserves Day. Mark Faulds from Fenwick has been thanked for his work as a reservist in the RAF by American aircraft giant Boeing. Reserves Day takes place today, June 25, and aims to celebrate the members of the armed forces who balance their civilian life with a military career. Lead pilot instructor for the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, Mark has over 30 years experience in his industry and has been a serving member of the armed forces since 1990. He first joined the RAF 35 years ago and worked his way up to become the air force's chief flying instructor. Mark later spent time in the US where he taught on the United States Navy's P-8 fleet before flying the first P-8 across the Atlantic to Scotland in 2020. Now based at Lossiemouth, Mark continues to teach on the aircraft while balances his civilian responsibilities with his commitment to the RAF Reserves. Mark said: 'One of the most notable highlights of my career was flying the UK's first P-8 aircraft back into the country. 'It was a significant milestone for the RAF, and I take great pride in being part of that moment.' The P-8 is equipped with cutting-edge technology to support evolving mission needs and plays a crucial role in monitoring the UK and Europe's maritime and national security. While employed by Boeing as lead pilot instructor, Mark continues to commit his spare time to the RAF Reserves, dedicating up to 10 days a year to reservist service. This allows him to fly regularly while providing essential training to new Poseidon pilots, ensuring they are well-prepared to operate one of the most advanced maritime patrol aircraft in the world. Steve Burnell, managing director of Boeing Defence UK, said: 'His dedication to both Boeing and the RAF exemplifies the values of service, leadership and excellence we look for in our valued teammates. 'We are proud to celebrate his contributions and the impact he has had on both military and civilian aviation.'
