A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-8A Poseidon has
launched Harpoon missiles for the first time during an
international exercise near Guam.
In coordination with
a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Poseidon and two United
States Navy Poseidons, the New Zealand aircraft and crew
from No. 5 Squadron successfully detected, identified and
fired two AGM-84 Harpoon guided missiles at a decommissioned
target ship, with both missiles hitting the
target.
AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile launches from the wing of
an RNZAF P-8A Poseidon
(Photo/Supplied)
It was part of
multi-domain Exercise Valiant Shield involving aircraft,
ships and submarines from New Zealand, Australia, Canada,
Japan and the United States.
The live-fire exercise
used weapons fired from the air, surface vessels and
submarines to sink the ship.
“This exercise marked a
significant step forward for the RNZAF with the first
successful launch of air-to-surface missiles by our P-8A,”
Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Andy Scott
said.
“These activities are critical to the New
Zealand Defence Force’s readiness to be able to meet the
challenges of a deteriorating strategic environment, and we
are incredibly grateful for the support of partners to
assist us in regenerating the ability to rapidly strike
targets at distance.”
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The P-8A Poseidon can be armed
with Harpoon anti-ship guided missiles, used to strike ships
accurately from at least 100 kilometres away. The successful
firing of the missiles, supplied by the Australian Defence
Force, demonstrates the fleet’s utility as a strike
capability against surface targets.
Air Commodore
Scott said as with all weapons, it was hoped they wouldn’t
need to be used.
“But part of military readiness is
having the ability to do so if called upon and this is not
something you can generate overnight.
Harpoon about to hit the decommissioned target ship
(Photo/Supplied)
“This firing
has been the culmination of a lot of work across multiple
parts of Defence and we would not have been able to rebuild
so quickly without the support of our Australian and US
partners.”
Poseidon captain, Squadron Leader Michael
Craies, says the missile firing success was thanks to a
large team effort.
Harpoon hits its target
(Photo/Supplied)
“As we felt
the weapons fall from the airframe and watched the Harpoon
missiles strike their target, we knew it was the work of so
many people across the RNZAF and our partners that made it
possible.
“The first successful Harpoon firing from
our P-8A is a testament to our armament, maintenance, and
logistics personnel.”
The coordinated missile
firings between one RNZAF and two United States Navy
Poseidons highlighted the ability to work seamlessly with a
partner, Squadron Leader Craies said.
“When the time
came for our firing, the professionalism of all three P-8A
crews involved meant that we were able to rapidly acquire
the target and fire four Harpoons in total.”
Royal Australian Air Force armament technician supervises
RNZAF armourers as they load the Harpoon at Andersen Air
Force Base, Guam
(Photo/Supplied)
This is the
first time an RNZAF Poseidon has taken part in Valiant
Shield, which started in 2006 and is in its 11th iteration
this year.
The countries involved worked closely
together to test tactics and procedures, and develop
interchangeability and interoperability in the air, space,
sea, land and cyberspace domains.
During the
anti-submarine warfare phase of the exercise, the RNZAF
Poseidon operated as part of a task force to find, track and
conduct simulated MK54 torpedo attacks against multiple
submarines.
The task force included a RAAF Poseidon,
US Navy Poseidons, the Canadian frigate HMCS Charlottetown,
Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force’s JS Kaga and JS
Fuyuzuki, and the United States’ George Washington Carrier
Strike
Group.
