The UK Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) maritime patrol aircraft fleet is to gain a new anti-submarine/anti-surface strike capability, in the guise of BAE Systems’ Sting Ray Mod 1 lightweight torpedo.
Announced by the RAF on 30 November, the integration activity will see the service’s Boeing P-8A Poseidons receive an additional weapon to the in-service Mk54 torpedo.
“The programme to integrate Sting Ray Mod 1 on to Poseidon is now under way,” the service says. This “will give the UK a potent and sovereign torpedo capability”, it adds.
The RAF says the air-launched Sting Ray weapon – which is already in service with the Royal Navy – “has a sophisticated acoustic homing system and a highly accurate navigation system”, enabling it to “detect, classify, and attack targets autonomously”.
“The use of Sting Ray and Mk54 torpedoes gives the UK Poseidon fleet flexibility and interoperability with our allies,” says Group Captain Richard Osselton, senior responsible officer, Poseidon futures programme.
Based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, the UK’s maritime patrol fleet totals nine heavily adapted 737NGs. The type also is armed with Boeing’s AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile.
