Australia is deploying a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol aircraft in support of the international effort to enforce United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea.
The aircraft will deploy within the next week on Operation ARGOS, marking the first Australian Defence Force (ADF) contribution to the operation for 2020.
Operating out of Kadena Airbase in Japan, the Poseidon aircraft will conduct airborne surveillance by monitoring and deterring illegal ship-to-ship transfers.
Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said Australia’s commitment to the enforcement of United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea is key to stability in the region.
“This deployment demonstrates our commitment to regional security and the rules-based order,” Minister Reynolds said.
“We rely on a stable North East Asia as part of a free, open and economically prosperous wider Indo-Pacific region.
Along with our international partners, Australia continues to maintain pressure on North Korea to adhere to United Nations Security Council sanctions through our dedicated air and maritime patrols.
The Poseidon aircraft and its crew will be deployed from No 11 Squadron at RAAF Base Edinburgh. This deployment comes after HMAS Parramatta was deployed to the region in late 2019.
Following the commencement of Operation ARGOS two years ago, the ADF has deployed maritime patrol aircraft on five cases and naval frigates on three.
In December 2019, the RAAF received its 12th and final P-8A Poseidon multi-mission maritime aircraft.
The maritime aircraft has been manufactured by Boeing, designed to excel at anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare.
P-8 Poseidon has two variants, namely the P-8I, flown by the Indian Navy, and the P-8A Poseidon, flown by the US Navy and the RAAF.
