A New Zealand P-8A Poseidon helped sink a decommissioned navy vessel with anti-ship missiles as part of a live-fire exercise conducted as part of Exercise Valiant Shield.
The maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) operated by Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) launched Harpoon missiles for the first time in the sinking exercise (SINKEX), part of a wider multi-domain exercise involving aircraft, ships and submarines from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States.
The missiles fired were supplied and loaded by the Royal Australian Navy and a Poseidon from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and two similar U.S. Navy MPAs also supported the SINKEX.
The RNZAF aircraft from No. 5 Squadron carried out the exercise within the Mariana Islands Range Complex in the waters off Guam in the western Pacific.
The target was decommissioned U.S. Navy vessel USS Juneau, an Austin-class amphibious transport dock designed to transport Marines, helicopters, and landing craft into combat zones.
As per a press statement from the New Zealand Defence Force, the air crew “successfully detected, identified and fired two AGM-84 Harpoon guided missiles at a decommissioned target ship, with both missiles hitting the target.”
The U.S. Navy Poseidons also struck the ship with two Harpoon projectiles. RNZAF Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Andy Scott called the mission “a significant step forward for the RNZAF” and commented: “These activities are critical to the New Zealand Defence Force’s readiness to be able to meet the challenges of a deteriorating strategic environment, and we are incredibly grateful for the support of partners to assist us in regenerating the ability to rapidly strike targets at distance.”
The Harpoon anti-ship guided missiles fired from the MPA can be used to strike ships at ranges of over 60 miles.
The SINKEX used a combination of weapons fired from the air, surface vessels and submarines to dispatch the ship to the depths. The final blow to the abandoned vessel was delivered by a torpedo fired from a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) submarine.
During Valiant Shield’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) phase, the RNZAF Poseidon also formed part of a multinational task force hunting tracking and launching simulated attacks with Mk54 lightweight torpedoes against “enemy” submarines.
This year’s Valiant Shield ran between June 22 and July 1 and was the tenth iteration of the exercise, which was first conducted 20 years ago. Valiant Shield 26 also included maritime flight operations by Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat.
- You can read more details on the New Zealand Defence Force website