A P-8A and personnel from No. 92 Wing took part in Exercise Medusa Fury for the testing. The Royal Australian Air Force said the activity increased the reach and flexibility of joint air and maritime operations.
LRASM is an air-launched, precision-guided and semi-autonomous missile with a range exceeding 370 kilometers. It is designed to strike high-value, well-defended surface targets from farther away than other maritime-strike weapons in the Air Force inventory.
“A combined team from 11SQN and 12SQN very proudly worked together, as part of 92WG, to achieve this very important milestone for P-8A capability,” said Wing Commander Melissa Houston, commanding officer of No. 11 Squadron. “The activity has required a significant amount of coordination, working with numerous Australian Defence groups and organisations, the United States Navy as well as industry partners to bring this all together and execute it at the tactical level in Hawaii.”
The P-8A work follows a successful LRASM test by an Australian F/A-18F Super Hornet in February 2025. Expanding the missile to another aircraft type gives Australia greater flexibility in assigning long-range anti-ship missions.
The capability supports the strategy of denial set out in Australia’s National Defence Strategy. The policy aims to deter coercion by convincing a potential adversary that it cannot achieve its military objectives at an acceptable cost.
“It is the most sophisticated maritime strike capability that the RAAF has ever had and it reinforces the strategy of denial, which is in keeping with the NDS,” Houston said. The Air Force said the missile provides a precision-strike option against surface targets and strengthens regional deterrence.
No. 92 Wing operates 13 P-8A Poseidons from RAAF Base Edinburgh. The aircraft are assigned to No. 11, No. 12 and No. 292 squadrons.
Australia has also expanded its long-range land-strike capability through the AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile–Extended Range. No. 1 Squadron’s F/A-18Fs completed operational testing of JASSM-ER in November 2025.
The JASSM-ER activity covered weapon preparation and loading, targeting and engagement. The missile is designed to strike fixed and relocatable targets at ranges of up to 900 kilometers.
Source: Royal Australian Air Force.
