The German Ministry of Defense has signed a letter of offer and acceptance for five Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft under the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales process.
With this order, Germany becomes the eighth customer of the multimission maritime surveillance aircraft, joining the United States, Australia, India, the United Kingdom, Norway, Korea and New Zealand.
“Boeing is honored to provide Germany with the world’s most capable maritime surveillance aircraft,” said Michael Hostetter, Boeing Defense, Space & Security vice president in Germany.
“We will continue to work with the U.S. government, the German government and industry to establish a robust sustainment package that will ensure the German Navy’s P-8A fleet is mission ready.”
Boeing say that the P-8A Poseidon offers unique multimission capability and is the only aircraft in service and in production that meets the full range of maritime challenges faced by European nations.
“Deployed around the world with more than 130 aircraft in service, and over 300,000 collective flight hours, the P-8A is vital for global anti-submarine warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and search-and-rescue operations.
German companies that already supply parts for the P-8A include Aljo Aluminum-Bau Jonischeit GmbH and Nord-Micro GmbH. Recently, Boeing signed agreements with ESG Elektroniksystem-und Logistik-GmbH and Lufthansa Technik to collaborate in systems integration, training, support and sustainment work.
By working with local suppliers, Boeing will provide support, training and maintenance solutions that will bring the highest operational availability to fulfill the German Navy’s missions.”
Good to see there will be another P-8A Poseidon user.
Recently India received US DSCA approval for another 6 P-8I (will add to the 12 delivered or on order), but no order as yet (Indian procurement is as slow as a wet week!). Two more were recently ordered for the RAAF to bring the fleet to 14 aircraft.
Anyway, if both proceed that should stretch the Poseidon production line through to the end of 2025.
Will the UK Govt find a few spare hundreds of million Pounds to bring the RAF fleet to 12? (As was the original pre cost cutting plan), like Indian procurement, I won’t hold my breath.
Cheers,
I read somewhere that the availability of the 737NG airframe was a limiting factor for the production of additional P-8s. I don’t think they are in ready supply; although that might be different now because of the covid impact on airlines.
I haven’t heard that one before.
I don’t see how that is an issue or correct, all P-8A are built using a ‘new’ construction modified 737-800NG fuselage, built specifically for the task, not remanufactured from ‘used’ aircraft.
Do you have a link regarding that alleged problem?
Other than for special mission aircraft Boeing has completely switched over to the MAX. They still have the ability to make NG’s the question is at what rate.
At what rate? At whatever rate of non commercial aircraft orders are placed.
Bottom line is, modified 737-800NG airframes are still in production, as it stands today P-8A has an order backlog up until approx 2024-25.
An acquaintance of mine works on the P8s at Lossie. They are still hopeful of 3 more & apparently have serial numbers assigned.
Mate, I hope it does eventuate for the RAF, but they don’t want to leave it too long.
Whilst the production line is still likely to be delivering aircraft out to 2025 or so, the determining factor for orders is placing orders prior to the end of the production of ‘long lead’ items.
Time will tell.
Germany really splashing the cash on defence at the moment!
Five Poseidons to cover a much smaller maritime commitment than the UK. Once again, it does highlight the parsimony of the MoD in funding a key strategic task.
I’ve read (maybe on this site!) that only nine P-8s limits the UK to sweeping the sea around a Vanguard submarine leaving/or entering the Clyde – and maintaining a single patrol line in the North Atlantic.
Hard to believe that we once had forty Nimrods at Kinloss.
At least with UK, Norway and now Germany, there is a bridge of P8s spanning Iceland/Faeroes to the Russian encalve in the Baltic.
Of those 40 Nimrods, how many were actually airworthy?
That was my initial though too Alan.
9 far too few if Germany has 5 given our naval footprint, CASD and the GIUKG.
Looks like Germany may be walking up ? ,has for the forty Nimrods there were the days🇬🇧
OOps waking ⏰ up ,
“Five Poseidons to cover a much smaller maritime commitment than the UK.”
Not that much smaller, esp looking forward.
Baltics
North Sea proper,
Nordic waters where German U212CD subs will be operating together with the Norwegians
Horn of Africa (ATALANTA from Djibouti)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bN3pF93_Tc
Five aircraft are barely sufficient for that. So Ger will either need more P8 or buy some smaller ones to cover Baltics and North Sea at some point.
So after much messing about with:
1) Global Hawk/Euro Hawk
2) Extend life of Orion
The Germany have decided to go down the route of the Poseidon
Which has me asking where will that leave the French-German Next Gen MPA
Dead in the water Farouk.
Western weapon system procurement is getting slower, more complex and less efficient. The days of competing multi national NATO platforms like ASW is near over I think.
Had airbus moved earlier than boeing on the A320 ASW platform, I don’t think Boeing would have brought the P8 to market. Submarines are very quiet now, and long range ASW is expensive and difficult. It’s just too small of a customer base.