WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US government has been urging Australia to build up its own sea and air forces as part of the Obama administration’s "pivot to Asia" strategy, which China contends is meant to try and contain its rise.
"This modification will include support activities, supplies and incidental services required to support 13 hardware Type II [training] devices, three virtual maintenance trainers and one ordnance load trainer," the announcement stated on Friday.
The P-8A Poseidon, based on Boeing’s 737 airliner design, is a twin-engine aircraft designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare. It also conducts intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and is capable of broad-area maritime and littoral operations.
The US Navy uses its own P-8A’s to monitor Chinese island-building activities in the South China Sea.
