David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. Can the minister update the Senate about the capability of Australia's new P-8 Poseidon aircraft and how that's contributing to Australia's maritime and national security?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Fawcett for the question and for his ongoing interest in matters aviation more broadly. The P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft reached its initial operating capability in March of this year, which was five months ahead of schedule. It has already been used in a range of operations and exercises in Australia and, indeed, around the Indo-Pacific, proving to be a very versatile, highly capable aircraft. For example, we deployed the P-8A Poseidon to Japan in April of this year to support the enforcement of the UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea with our international partners. The Poseidon was very successfully deployed to operate at long range and high speeds and to conduct its maritime surveillance functions with state-of-the-art equipment, contributing to that international effort to enforce sanctions.

We also deployed the aircraft as part of our longstanding Operation Gateway maritime surveillance patrols. We've supported border protection operations and we've contributed to maritime search-and-rescue missions. Indeed, two weeks ago, at RIMPAC in Hawaii, which I know a number of senators, including Senator Fawcett, attended, an Australian Poseidon successfully fired a Harpoon missile for the first time, demonstrating that the Poseidon is also a highly capable maritime strike aircraft, capable of defending our maritime approaches.

I want to acknowledge the decision of our neighbours in the New Zealand government, who have announced that they will also acquire four Poseidon aircraft. That is going to further significantly strengthen our interoperability with the New Zealand air force and the New Zealand Defence Force and our ability to jointly respond to regional challenges. The Poseidon is already proving itself as a highly capable replacement to the venerable P-3. Importantly, it is already making a significant contribution to regional security.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Fawcett, a supplementary question.

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Defence doctrine indicates that the first of the fundamental inputs to capability is individual training. Can you update the Senate on the investment in training for aircrew and maintenance crews that shows that the Poseidon training is at the leading edge of what is available?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Indeed it is; Senator Fawcett is quite right. On Friday, I was again in South Australia at RAAF Base Edinburgh, where the Royal Australian Air Force has recently established its new P-8A training facility. It's a $470 million investment by the coalition government, which is a step change in the way the Royal Australian Air Force trains its personnel. It's home to a series of advanced simulators that enable both our aircrews and our maintenance teams to conduct more of their training there and therefore leave the aircraft available for operations, for exercises, for activities, reducing fatigue on the aircraft and freeing them up, as I said, with more time to be deployed.

The facility is the beginning of a broader investment at RAAF Base Edinburgh which will see it form part of a larger intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance precinct. That precinct is going to support a number of our new ISR platforms and ensure that the personnel have access to the modern training facilities they need so they're able to do the tasks that government seeks of them.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Fawcett, a final supplementary question.

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could the minister update the Senate as to what investments in other fundamental inputs to capability the government is making to support the introduction of the Poseidon aircraft?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As well as modernising our training facilities, the government is investing in a range of supporting infrastructure around Australia. As well as the works that I referred to at RAAF Base Edinburgh, which is the Poseidon's main operating base, we're also investing in upgrades to forward operating bases: RAAF Base Pearce, in Western Australia; RAAF Base Darwin; and RAAF Base Townsville.

And last month, of course, the government announced that we will also acquire the MQ-4C Triton long-range remotely piloted surveillance aircraft. That is going to complement our fleet of Poseidons with the ability to conduct sustained operations at very long ranges.

Both of those aircraft will complement each other, will enable greater interoperability with our key allies—including, of course, the United States—and will enable us to contribute more effectively, more often, to regional security. Those are investments by the Turnbull government which provide Australia with one of the most sophisticated maritime surveillance capabilities in the world and demonstrate our commitment to securing Australia's long-term national security.