Beneath the steady hum of a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon, radars swept and sensors locked onto vessels suspected of illicit ship-to-ship transfers.
Deployed to Japan in mid-October on Operation Argos, the crew from 11 Squadron worked to help enforce United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea.
Flying between 1000 and 30,000 feet, they captured footage of vessels of interest, including suspected illegal ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned goods.
With multiple workstations on board - including communications, tactical coordination, radar, electro-optics and administration - the crew in the air managed mission data and operational objectives with support from the ADF ground team at Kadena Air Base
Operating as part of a contingent around 45 strong, the detachment also included maintenance, intelligence, mission assurance, logistics and operational support staff.
Each role contributed to the precision needed to spot suspicious activity at sea.
From the cockpit window, ships filled the heavily trafficked waters of the Indo-Pacific.
At the controls sat co-pilot Flight Lieutenant Jesse Versteegen, who guided the Poseidon through shifting weather and crowded airspace.
He said the crew would hail ships to confirm their identity, ask about their last and next ports, who operated them and what cargo they carried.
"Two ships parked next to each other certainly looks suspicious, given what we know occurs in this area," Flight Lieutenant Versteegen said.
"We can't make assumptions, but we gather as much information as we can to build the bigger picture."
'It's not just the crew in the air. None of it happens without the teams on the ground making it all work.'
The crew flew multiple five-to-six-hour sorties, often operating near foreign military activity under strict aviation protocols.
Their work in the air was only one part of a wider international effort.
After data was collected on board, analysts and mission assurance personnel compiled it into reports for the Enforcement Coordination Cell (ECC) and partner nations to analyse and potentially act on.
Each flight was planned through the ECC, which assigned search areas and vessels of interest.
Established in 2018, the ECC operates within the Pacific Security Maritime Exchange, coordinating multinational efforts to prevent North Korea from evading restrictions on refined petroleum and crude oil imports and commodity exports.
Together with partner nations, the ADF maintained an unbroken watch over the region, ensuring continuous surveillance and enforcement from the air.
This deployment marks Australia's 16th aerial contribution to Operation Argos, continuing the nation's steady commitment to enforcing United Nations sanctions first imposed in 2006.
Flight Lieutenant Verstegeen said the success of each mission relied on the many people working behind the scenes to keep the aircraft and systems running smoothly.
"It's not just the crew in the air. None of it happens without the teams on the ground making it all work," he said.
"They're the ones who make sure every mission launches safely and delivers results."
