According to information published by the Australian MoD on February 19, 2022, a Royal Australian Navy's P-8A Poseidon detected a laser illuminating the aircraft while in flight over Australia’s northern approaches.
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Chinese Type 052D destroyer Hefei (Picture source: Australian Army)
The laser was detected as emanating from a People’s Liberation Army – Navy (PLA-N) vessel. Illumination of the aircraft by the Chinese vessel is a serious safety incident.
The vessel, in company with another PLA-N ship, was sailing east through the Arafura Sea at the time of the incident. Both ships have since transited through the Torres Strait and are in the Coral Sea.
The Boeing P-8A is truly a multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft designed to conduct anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and search and rescue missions.
The P-8A can fly higher (up to 41,000 ft) and get to the fight faster (490 knots). Shorter transit times reduce the size of the Area of Probability when searching for submarines, surface vessels, or search and rescue survivors. P-8 is also designed for low altitude missions and has already proven its abilities supporting humanitarian and search and rescue missions.
The P-8A can be armed with torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and other weapons. The Harpoon also called AGM-84 called is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile, developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Defense, Space & Security).
