Australia remains committed to enforcing United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea, with the deployment of a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The P-8A Poseidon and crew have deployed to Kadena Airbase in Japan, marking the third time Australia has contributed to Operation ARGOS this year. Operation ARGOS supports Australia’s commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and a global rules-based order. This is the ninth time the ADF has deployed a maritime patrol aircraft for Operation ARGOS. Royal Australian Navy vessels have supported the operation on five occasions since it commenced in 2018.
Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton said,“ the aircraft would support international economic and diplomatic actions on North Korea.Australia has deployed a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft in support of the international community’s goal of the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea. The aircraft will conduct airborne surveillance to monitor and deter illegal ship-to-ship transfers. This is an international effort to enforce United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea, with contributions from a number of countries including Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.”
Operation ARGOS is the Australian Defence Forces (ADF) commitment to the international effort to enforce United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea until it takes concrete steps towards denuclearisation. The ADF contributes by monitoring and deterring illegal ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned goods. Enforcing sanctions supports the international community’s goal of the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea. United Nations Security Council sanctions limit North Korea’s imports of refined petroleum and crude oil, and its exports of coal, all of which are facilitated by such transfers.
The P-8A Poseidon is a modern, potent and highly reliable aircraft based on the commercially-proven Boeing B737-800; modified to incorporate the latest maritime surveillance and attack capabilities. With its highly impressive technical attributes, the P-8A Poseidon brings flexibility, responsiveness and attack capability to the Joint Force in its primary roles of Anti-Submarine Warfare, Anti-Surface Warfare, Maritime Surveillance and Search and Rescue. Operated by Royal Australian Air Force No. 11 and No. 292 Squadrons based at RAAF Base Edinburgh, under the command of Number 92 Wing, the aircraft has completed a number of domestic and operational deployments.
