• A47-001, the first RAAF Poseidon aircraft, comes in to land at its home Base, RAAF Base Edinburgh for the first time. Credit: Defence
    A47-001, the first RAAF Poseidon aircraft, comes in to land at its home Base, RAAF Base Edinburgh for the first time. Credit: Defence
  • Boeing delivered the first P-8A Poseidon to the RAAF in November 2016. Credit: Defence
    Boeing delivered the first P-8A Poseidon to the RAAF in November 2016. Credit: Defence
  • The old and the new. An AP-3C and the first of the aircraft that will replace it – the Boeing P-8A Poseidon at RAAF Fairbairn, Canberra. Credit: Defence
    The old and the new. An AP-3C and the first of the aircraft that will replace it – the Boeing P-8A Poseidon at RAAF Fairbairn, Canberra. Credit: Defence
  • Dignitaries cheer the unveiling of the first of 12 Australian P-8A Poseidon aircraft at Boeing Field in Seattle. Credit: Defence
    Dignitaries cheer the unveiling of the first of 12 Australian P-8A Poseidon aircraft at Boeing Field in Seattle. Credit: Defence
  • The RAAF's first P-8A Poseidon. Given Norway's presence in the High North of Scandinavia, a strong Norwegian MPA capability is crucial to maintaining effective NATO surveillance. Credit: Defence
    The RAAF's first P-8A Poseidon. Given Norway's presence in the High North of Scandinavia, a strong Norwegian MPA capability is crucial to maintaining effective NATO surveillance. Credit: Defence
  • The RAAF’s first P-8A Poseidon flew over Adelaide on Tuesday with a P-3C Orion and its maritime patrol predecessor, a Lockheed Neptune. A Catalina also flew in the demonstration, marking four generations of aircraft flown by Number 11 Squadron. Credit: Defence
    The RAAF’s first P-8A Poseidon flew over Adelaide on Tuesday with a P-3C Orion and its maritime patrol predecessor, a Lockheed Neptune. A Catalina also flew in the demonstration, marking four generations of aircraft flown by Number 11 Squadron. Credit: Defence
  • The first P-8A aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force leaves Renton Field for Boeing Field in nearby Seattle, marking its transfer from Commercial Airplanes to Boeing Defense, Space & Security for final completion. Credit: Defence
    The first P-8A aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force leaves Renton Field for Boeing Field in nearby Seattle, marking its transfer from Commercial Airplanes to Boeing Defense, Space & Security for final completion. Credit: Defence
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$659m to ready RAAF Edinburgh for P-8A Poseidon

20 November 2017
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The Commonwealth will provide $659 million in funding at RAAF Base Edinburgh to support the RAAF's new P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

The funding comprises $250 million for a Boeing training simulator system at the base. Boeing Defence Australia has commenced fitout of the 15,500 square metre Poseidon Integrated Training Centre which will accommodate 70 advanced P-8A operational and tactical training devices including two pilot simulators, two Air Combat Officer simulators, and a Boeing 737 fuselage Ordnance Load Trainer. 

Boeing Defence Australia P-8A Poseidon program lead Brett Newell said the new facility represented a massive leap forward for SA’s maritime aircraft training capability.

“The comprehensive P-8A training solution we’re installing over the next six months supports one of the biggest shifts in Australia’s anti-surface and anti-submarine capability history. The server room alone is almost as big as the entire AP-3C Orion training facility,” Newell said.

“These trainers will ensure RAAF pilots and mission crews are prepared to take full advantage of the P-8A Poseidon capabilities for any mission, at any time.”

Overseeing the P-8A transition program, Deputy Director Capability Transition WGCDR Gary Lewis said Boeing will provide support to the training devices and will handover operational control of the training facility to the Royal Australian Air Force.

Defence Minister Marise Payne said the simulator will be a part of a broader investment in RAAF Edinburgh to make it ‘Poseidon ready’ by extending the runway and building new state of the art maintenance hangers and facilities.”

A sum of $409 million will also be spent to improve those facilities for full operations, estimated for completion by early 2019.  

“Lendlease, the contractor engaged by Defence to construct the facilities at RAAF Base Edinburgh, has advised that the vast majority of the work to construct the facilities is going to contractors from the local area,” Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said.

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