Watch: RAF's Submarine-Hunter Drops First Torpedo

An RAF Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft has released a torpedo for the first time during a training flight.

Operated by 120 Squadron and based at RAF Lossiemouth, the P-8A aircraft dropped a recoverable exercise variant of the Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo, simulating an attack on a submarine.

The Mk 54 torpedo is small and light enough that five can be carried in the Poseidon's internal weapons bay.

The high-explosive warheads on the live torpedoes are powerful enough to destroy underwater enemy vessels that can be located and tracked by Poseidon crew using state-of-the-art equipment.

Squadron Leader Dave Higgins, the Torpedo Project lead, said it had been a privilege to watch the RAF team work together to launch the missile.

Watch: How good is the P-8A Poseidon?

"It's been a great privilege to witness the hard work of so many talented individuals across the Royal Air Force, civil service and industry partners come together to enable us to launch and recover this torpedo," he said.

"This exercise has proved everything is in place for our weapon technicians to rapidly get these torpedoes onto our aircraft, so we can deliver them wherever and whenever they are needed."

Five Poseidon MRA1s are based at RAF Lossiemouth with another four set to be delivered by the end of this year.

The aircraft boasts a set of cutting-edge Anti-Submarine Warfare and Anti-Surface Warfare sensors, greatly enhancing its ability to detect enemy vessels underwater.

Cover image: An RAF Poseidon at RAF Lossiemouth grounding at Kinloss Barracks last year (Picture: MOD).