Operation Argos

Operation Argos
A RAAF AP-3C Orion at Kadena Air Force Base in October 2018
Location	North Asia
Objective	Enforcement of United Nations sanctions against North Korea
Date	Periodically since 2018
Executed by	Australian Defence Force

Operation Argos is the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the international effort to enforce United Nations' sanctions against North Korea. The operation began in 2018, and is ongoing. ^[1] The Australian effort is focused on detecting ship to ship transfers of contraband goods. ^[2] It involves periodic deployments of aircraft and warships. ^[3]

The international effort involves Australia, Canada, France, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. It is coordinated by the United States Seventh Fleet. ^[4]

Deployments

Deployments have included:

• A RAAF P-8 Poseidon to Japan in May 2018 ^[5]
• Two RAAF AP-3C Orions to North Asia in September 2018 ^[6]
• HMAS Melbourne in September 2018 ^{[7] [8]}
• A RAAF P-8 Poseidon to Kadena Air Base in December 2018 ^[7]
• HMAS Parramatta in late 2019 ^[9]
• A RAAF P-8 Poseidon to Kadena Air Base in February 2020 ^[9]
• A RAAF P-8 Poseidon to Kadena Air Base in September 2020 ^[10]
• HMAS Arunta in November 2020 ^[2]
• A RAAF P-8 Poseidon to Kadena Air Base from late February to late March 2021 ^{[1] [11]}
• HMAS Ballarat in May 2021 ^[2]
• A RAAF P-8 Poseidon to Kadena Air Base from August 2021 ^[12]
• HMAS Warramunga in October 2021 ^[13]
• HMAS Parramatta in mid-2022 ^[14]
• HMAS Arunta in October 2022 ^[15]
• A RAAF P-8 Poseidon to Kadena Air Base from February 2023 ^[16]
• HMAS Anzac in mid-2023 ^{[17] [18]}
• A deployment of two P-8 Poseidons to Kadena Air Base that concluded in September 2023. ^[19]
• HMAS Toowoomba in November 2023. ^[20] Several Australian naval divers were slightly injured by sonar from a Chinese warship during this deployment, when the sonar was activated close to the Australian frigate while they were removing a fishing net from its propellers. ^[21]
• HMAS Hobart in April 2024. ^[22]
• HMAS Sydney in mid-late 2024. ^[23]
• A RAAF P-8 Poseidon to Kadena Air Base in November 2024. ^[24]
• A RAAF P-8 Poseidon to Kadena Air Base in April 2025. ^[25]
• HMAS Sydney in early-mid 2025. ^[26]
• A RAAF P-8 Poseidon to Kadena Air Base in October 2025. ^[25]

References

1. Senator the Hon Marise Payne (24 February 2021). "Defence's continued commitment to Operation ARGOS". Media release. Department of Defence.
2. Kadib, Charbel (18 May 2021). "HMAS Ballarat joins Operation Argos". Defence Connect. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
3. "Operation Argos – North East Asia". Department of Defence. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
4. Robson, Seth (15 December 2020). "Fewer ships and aircraft are monitoring North Korea's illicit trade during the pandemic". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
5. McLaughlin, Andrew (7 May 2018). "RAAF P-8A to monitor North Korean sanctions". ADBR. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
6. McLaughlin, Andrew (13 September 2018). "RAAF AP-3C Orions to enforce North Korea sanctions". ADBR. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
7. Gady, Franz-Stefan (7 December 2018). "Australia Deploys P-8A Poseidon to Japan to Enforce North Korea Sanctions". The Diplomat.
8. McGuirk, Rod (12 October 2018). "Aussies order warship to enforce North Korea sanctions". Navy Times. Associated Press. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
9. "Defence confirms first commitment to Operation Argos for 2020". Defence Connect. 19 February 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
10. "Defence's continued commitment to Operation ARGOS - Australian Security Magazine". Australian Security Magazine. 26 September 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
11. Owen, Nathan; Geisler, Joel (30 June 2021). "Mission to enforce UN sanctions". Department of Defence.
12. "Australia deploys P-8A for Operation ARGOS". Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
13. "Australia's continued commitment to sanctions enforcement against North Korea". Media release. Department of Defence. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
14. Herring, Andrew (1 August 2022). "HMAS Parramatta receives warm welcome home". Department of Defence. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
15. "HMAS Arunta to support sanctions on North Korea". Department of Defence. 28 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
16. "Defence continues support to Operation Argos". Media release. Department of Defence. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
17. "HMAS Anzac embarks on regional presence deployment". Media release. Department of Defence. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
18. "HMAS Anzac enforces United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea". Department of Defence. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
19. "Defence joins international effort to enforce sanctions on North Korea". Department of Defence. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
20. "HMAS Toowoomba supports sanctions on North Korea". Department of Defence. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
21. Greene, Andrew (17 November 2023). "Australian naval personnel injured by sonar pulses from Chinese warship". ABC News. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
22. McLaughlin, Andrew. "HMAS Hobart deploys to help enforce UN North Korea sanctions". PS News. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
23. "HMAS Sydney departs for regional presence deployment". Department of Defence. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
24. Dougherty, Robert (4 November 2024). "RAAF P-8A Poseidon aircraft deployed to Japan under Operation Argos". Defence Connect. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
25. "Air Force Poseidon deployed on sanctions enforcement". Media release. Department of Defence. 10 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
26. "HMAS Sydney deployed on sanctions enforcement against North Korea". Department of Defence. Retrieved 12 May 2025.