Russian subs have ‘nowhere to hide’, says RAF chief
RUSSIA has “nowhere to hide”, the Chief of the Air Staff has said, as the UK takes delivery of its first new submarine hunter aeroplane.
The Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) has been sent to the Royal Air Force after its unveiling in Seattle. The first of nine jets, named Pride of Moray, was flown to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, where RAF personnel are being trained to operate it.
Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Mike Wigston told The Daily Telegraph: “It’s a game-changing anti-submarine and maritime patrol aircraft, capable of detecting and tracking the most sophisticated submarines that Russia [is] fielding. They’ve got to recognise there’s nowhere for them to hide.”
The 2010 defence review decided Britain no longer needed an MPA capability, but ACM Wigston said Russian “adventurism” and a “growing confrontational approach” led to a recognition in government that “the underwater battle space had changed”.
In 2015, the government committed £3billion to buying a fleet of MPAS to track hostile maritime targets and protect Britain’s nuclear submarines.
To maintain skills, the RAF has embedded aircrew within MPA squadrons in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. The first aircraft will arrive at RAF Lossiemouth in Moray in early 2020. All nine aircraft will be delivered by November 2021.
The new aircraft can carry up to 129 sonobuoys – compact submarine detection devices – as well as Harpoon anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.