Boeing's p‑8 Poseidon set to boost US anti-ship capabilities with LRASM

Boeing integrates the P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft with the long-range anti-ship missiles AGM-158C LRASM. Stealthy missiles with a range of hundreds of miles combined with an aircraft capable of multi-hour patrols and flights over distances of several thousand miles will be a strong asset for the Pentagon in the event of a potential conflict with China.

The manufacturer, Boeing Company, announced the ongoing work on the integration of LRASM missiles and P-8 Poseidon aircraft. During a demonstration preceding the Farnborough International Airshow, Boeing representatives outlined plans for the further development of the Poseidon aircraft.

The P-8 Poseidon is a maritime patrol aircraft built on the platform of the Boeing 737 passenger jet. First flown in 2009, the aircraft was developed to replace the aging P-3 Orion and has been adopted by the armed forces of countries including the United States, Japan, and Australia.

Although the Poseidon was developed as a patrol and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft, it continues to evolve, and its capabilities are growing. It can already carry Harpoon anti-ship missiles, yet the manufacturer's ambitions—and the Pentagon's needs—reach much further.

Boeing recently tested its aircraft with a new multi-role pod, enabling the Poseidon to carry additional sensors tailored to the user's needs.

Regardless of the optional equipment, the aircraft's main asset remains the multifunctional AN/APY-10 long-range radar. Thanks to it, the aircraft is capable of detecting surface objects from hundreds of miles away, tracking submarine periscopes, detecting terrain, and locating objects on land.

The ability to detect targets from a very long distance is now joined by the capability to destroy them independently. The Poseidon can carry up to four LRASM missiles – a stealthy, maritime variant of the JASSM missiles with a range of 230 miles and a 1,000-pound warhead.

Their effectiveness was confirmed by a test conducted by the US Navy in early April 2024. During the test, four simultaneously launched LRASM missiles executed a coordinated attack on a target protected by advanced air and missile defense systems.

Although details are not known, the statement issued after the test reported the achievement of all planned objectives and confirmed the new weapon's high effectiveness.