As the last of the AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft has been finally withdrawn from the service of the Australian Air Force on December 12, 2023, after 50 years of service, the baton has been passed on to the next-generation P-8A Poseidon aircraft fleet. This transition underscores Australia’s attempt to counter emerging threats in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in response to the growing presence of Chinese submarines in the region. As P-8A is a potent platform for anti-submarine operations, it will enable Australia to effectively deter any undersea threats from hostile submarines, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest “Fleet Size Dashboard” reveals that, after the retirement of AP-3C platforms, the average age of the entire Australian fleet of military fixed-wing aircraft fell below 30 years. Out of which, 60% of the fleet has an average age of below 10 years, highlighting Australia’s efforts to keep its fleet relatively modern and formidable.

The dashboard also reveals that the P-8A is the third youngest platform in the Australian fleet, with an impressive average age of 5.5 years, following the F-35A and EA-18G aircraft. This indicates that P-8As have several decades of service life left for monitoring and safeguarding the Australian coastline before being retired.

Sai Kiran, Aerospace and Defense Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “To bolster its maritime capabilities and address evolving geopolitical challenges, Australia has transitioned to a fleet of 14 P-8A aircraft, a program involving a procurement expenditure of about $3.8 billion. 12 of these P-8A aircraft have already been inducted into active service between 2016 and 2019, while two are yet to be delivered.”

Although China and Australia have taken steps in recent months to normalize their ties, there are several alleged violations of the maritime borders of Australia’s allies in the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific region by China.

Kiran concludes: “The escalation of China’s military footprint in this region, coupled with its recent deployment of sophisticated naval assets, including submarines and naval vessels, triggered Australia to strengthen its anti-submarine and maritime warfare capabilities. Furthermore, Australian P-8As will also be able to support the country’s major ally, the US, in terms of tracking and destroying enemy naval assets during future potential conflicts in the region involving the US and China.”