The UK’s first new P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft has landed in Scotland, closing a capability gap that emerged when Nimrod was scrapped in 2010.

The first P-8 for the UK, nicknamed the ‘Pride of Moray’, arrived at Kinloss Barracks in Scotland earlier today.

As we reported in 2018, when the first P-8A Poseidon arrives in the UK it will be ready to fly with a UK crew on day one thanks in part to a team of RAF personnel embedded with the US Navy through the Seedcorn programme.

The P-8 Poseidon, developed by Boeing, is designed to conduct anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), and shipping interdiction, along with an electronic signals intelligence (ELINT) role. This involves carrying torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and other weapons.

Poseidon contains up to 7 crew computer consoles in its cabin, has an electro-optical and infrared sensor turret, a maritime surveillance radar and signal intelligence system. Its radar is capable of detection, classification and identification of ships, small vessels and surfaced submarines.

It also has coastal surveillance capability meaning that the Poseidon can be used for search and rescue operations.

The UK has procured 9 of the aircraft.