A Poseidon was noticed flying over the Mojave Desert with the lengthy vary anti-ship missile final month.
A U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon plane was not too long ago noticed carrying a LRASM (Lengthy Vary Anti-Ship Missile) in flight for the primary time. On Aug. 28, 2025, aviation photographer Aaron Maurer shared on X a photograph of the jet flying over the Mojave Desert with the missile clearly seen below its left wing.
A KC-46 Pegasus and P-8 Poseidon flying over Mojave. combo. #kc46 #p8 pic.twitter.com/aG0VzKvhDo
— maurer8photography (@maurer8photo) August 28, 2025
The Navy later confirmed to Newsweek that the missile was an LRASM and mentioned integration work on the P-8A is in progress.
The combination of the LRASM has been recognized for some years, however what makes Maurer’s shot significantly attention-grabbing is that it’s the first photograph displaying the weapon carried on an underwing pylon in flight, seemingly throughout a take a look at mission. Due to this fact, we reached out to Maurer for extra particulars in regards to the uncommon sighting.
“It was taken the center of August over Mojave,” instructed us Maurer. “I didn’t point out the LRASM initially as a result of I used to be attempting to maintain it low key, individuals nonetheless took discover.”
“Spending numerous time across the Mojave space I’m at all times watching the skies. I wasn’t listening to a scanner, simply listening for the faint rumble of one thing within the air. The KC-46 Pegasus handed overhead first. Just a few seconds later the P-8 Poseidon adopted the identical line. They each continued north finally going out of sight. I’m undecided the place they originated from, nevertheless it was cool seeing them. Nothing must be shocking within the Mojave desert, however a P-8 with an LRASM below the wing was surprising. It at all times pays off to look at the skies and pay attention.”
The AGM-158C
The AGM-158C LRASM (Lengthy Vary Anti-Ship Missile) is derived from the AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Floor Standoff Missile – Prolonged Vary (JASSM-ER) and represents the brand new stealthy cruise missile designed by DARPA for the U.S. Air Pressure and U.S. Navy. In keeping with NAVAIR, LRASM offers a near-term resolution to the Offensive Anti-Floor Warfare (OASuW) requirement, filling the air-launched functionality hole with a versatile, long-range weapon in a position to interact high-value maritime targets in closely defended environments.
The missile has been engineered to function with diminished reliance on Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) property, knowledge hyperlinks, and GPS, even in jamming-heavy situations. After launch, LRASM navigates to an preliminary level utilizing GPS steering, then depends on its onboard sensors to autonomously detect, classify, and interact the designated ship. Superior algorithms enable it to refine much less exact focusing on knowledge and prosecute particular vessels in contested waters.
Three variants make up the OASuW Increment 1 program: LRASM 1.0, LRASM 1.1, and LRASM C-3. The baseline LRASM 1.0 achieved early operational functionality in 2019 and has already been built-in on the B-1B Lancer and the F/A-18E/F Tremendous Hornet.
The follow-on LRASM 1.1, fielded in 2023, is at the moment present process Preliminary Operational Check & Analysis, as reported by the Director, Operational Check and Analysis. Integration on the P-8A Poseidon can also be underway, with completion initially anticipated by the summer time of 2024 and later postponed to 2025. For floor strike missions, the P-8A Poseidon can already carry 4 AGM-84 Harpoons below its 4 underwing hardpoints, however the brand new missile brings extra, superior long-range sea and land strike capabilities to the Poseidon.
Increment 3 Block 2 Modifications
The brand new missile is being built-in because the U.S. Navy has delivered the Increment 3 Block 2 improve to the primary of 141 P-8A.
Increment 3 Block 2 represents a significant step ahead for the Poseidon, bringing each airframe and avionics enhancements. The bundle introduces new structural racks, radomes, antennas, sensors, and wiring, together with a very up to date fight methods suite. This consists of improved laptop processing energy, a safer structure, a wideband satellite tv for pc communications system, an ASW alerts intelligence functionality, a monitor administration system, and expanded communications and acoustic methods to enhance search, detection, and focusing on.
“Increment 3 Block 2 brings the potential that the P-8A was made for. These modifications will enable aircrews to look, find and monitor probably the most superior submarines on this planet, enabling the fleet to tempo the menace with the required functionality and capability to win the battle,” mentioned Capt. Erik Thomas, program supervisor for the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Plane workplace (PMA-290). “This supply demonstrates the PMA-290 workforce’s excellent work ethic, professionalism and dedication to the fleet.”
In keeping with the service, these modifications will equip the fleet with the complete spectrum of anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities envisioned within the P-8A program’s evolutionary acquisition technique.
The modification work is being carried out by Boeing at its Upkeep, Restore and Overhaul facility at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville, Florida, and the primary P-8A Poseidon “Increment 3 Block 2” (I3B2) flew for the primary time after the upgrades in June 2025.
Making the P-8 extra succesful
The continuing integration of the LRASM on U.S. army plane comes as China seeks to venture a picture of rising army energy, highlighted by the large parade it held this week. On the identical time, tensions are additionally rising within the Western Hemisphere, the place the U.S. army carried out a deadly strike towards a suspected Venezuelan drug vessel in what was the primary recognized use of direct army drive towards a drug cartel’s maritime operations for the reason that deployment of extra U.S. warships to the Caribbean area, additional stressing the necessity for succesful maritime patrol and strike platforms.
As famous by Newsweek’s Ryan Chan in his report on the LRASM integration, China now operates the world’s largest navy by hull depend, with greater than 370 ships and submarines in service. This drive underpins Beijing’s effort to broaden its presence throughout the Western Pacific and straight problem U.S. naval energy within the area. In response, america has deployed land-based anti-ship missile methods within the Pacific and continues to bolster allied capabilities with U.S.-made ship-sinking weapons.
On this context, the P-8A Poseidon, designed for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare in addition to for ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) missions, stays a key asset. The U.S. Navy routinely employs the plane for patrols and joint workouts over strategic hotspots such because the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, the place tensions with China stay excessive, but additionally makes use of the Poseidon within the Western Atlantic and Caribbean, the place it screens narco-trafficking routes and Venezuelan naval exercise.
The addition of the LRASM, together with Increment 3 Block 2 upgrades and the Multi-Mission Pod (MMP), will considerably broaden the Poseidon’s means to counter floor threats throughout each theaters. This ensures the plane cannot solely monitor and monitor but additionally strike hostile vessels at lengthy vary, reinforcing U.S. and allied deterrence towards each China’s rising naval energy within the Indo-Pacific and rising threats within the Western Hemisphere.
An enormous thanks to Aaron Maurer for permitting us to make use of his {photograph}. Be certain to comply with him on X and Instagram!
