RAAF P-8A Poseidon successfully drops torpedoes on US submarine during RIMPAC.

According to information published by the US DoD on July 8, 2024, a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon successfully dropped four exercise torpedoes on a US Navy nuclear submarine, during a maritime patrol as part of the RIMPAC exercise. This event marked a milestone for the RAAF, as it was the first time an Australian P-8A deployed this variant of the Mark 54 Lightweight Exercise Torpedo.
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Aviators install a Mk54 Lightweight Exercise Torpedo on a RAAF P-8A Poseidon during the RIMPAC 2024 exercise at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. (Picture source: Dvids)

On July 10, the P-8A Poseidon entered the live fire area north of the Hawaiian Islands, working alongside a US Navy P-8A. The aircraft conducted a grid search pattern at low altitude to locate the submarine, supported by an MQ-9A unmanned aerial vehicle recording the exercise.

The scenario involved establishing organic tracking and attack criteria for the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Topeka (SSN 754). The crews dropped sonobuoys to determine the submarine's position, course, and speed, which enabled them to derive an attack solution and ensure effective weapon placement.

Dropping a Mark 54 exercise torpedo requires teamwork: the tactical coordinator positions the sonobuoys, the acoustics operator interprets the data, and the pilots maneuver the aircraft for an accurate attack. Each of the four Tactical Coordinators on board the RAAF P-8A dropped a Mark 54 exercise torpedo, designed to track, classify, and attack underwater targets.

Exercise torpedoes do not explode upon impact. Instead, they float to the surface after a set time for retrieval and assessment.

A helicopter retrieves the exercise torpedoes after each drop, and further analysis of the data will determine if the torpedo successfully acquired the target. RIMPAC provides training opportunities that are not easily achievable in Australia.