DATA & ANALYTICS
“ We’ re very proud of our history, but we’ re also very proud of our future.”
The P-8 Poseidon, replacing the Nimrod that was retired in 2010, has already proved to be a valuable tool when it comes to developing Britain’ s maritime reconnaissance capabilities. Able to fly 1,000 nautical miles from base, operate for four hours and return home, these aircraft provide the UK with vastly-improved surveillance range and persistence.
“ If a submarine coming from Russia wants to get into the North Atlantic, it has to go through one of these checkpoints,” explains Squadron Leader Armitage, referring to the strategic channels around Shetland, the Faeroes, Iceland and Greenland.“ That provides a funnelling area that we can focus on to track submarines or surface ships.”
The P-8’ s sensor suite includes radar systems capable of detecting submarine periscopes, magnetic anomaly detectors that can sense
KEY FACTS: NORTH SEA MARITIME SECURITY
• Bordered by six NATO nations, the North Sea is a strategic gateway for military and commercial vessels
• Approximately 25 % of Europe ' s energy supplies transit through North Sea routes
• 95 % of international data traffic travels via North Sea telecommunications cables
• Russian submarine activity has significantly increased since 2014 following the annexation of Crimea
• RAF Lossiemouth operates 9 P-8 Poseidon aircraft for maritime surveillance
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