Germany received its first P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, more than four years after the contract was signed in June 2021, despite the purchase being promoted as a quick interim solution.
According to Harpunkt, final quality checks and acceptance trials remain, after which aircraft 63-01 will join the 3rd Naval Air Wing Graf Zeppelin, replacing aging P-3C Orions currently operated across two squadrons.
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Germany has ordered a total of eight P-8A Poseidons to strengthen its and NATO's capabilities in the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea, a region increasingly marked by hybrid threats from russia and China.
The original order of five aircraft in June 2021 was considered a stopgap until the joint Franco-German Maritime Airborne Warfare System (MAWS) becomes operational in the 2030s. In 2023, Germany added three more planes to the order.
The first German Poseidon, delivered now, rolled off the production line in February 2025 and made its maiden flight the same month. It then went to another facility for installation of sensors and specialized equipment. Even interim solutions thus take years, and full operational capabilities will only arrive as the remaining aircraft are delivered an important point for Denmark, which is also considering the American aircraft.
The P-8A is a modern maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft based on the Boeing 737-800 airliner. It can conduct reconnaissance, participate in search-and-rescue operations, and engage surface and underwater targets.
Its arsenal includes surveillance and detection systems, depth charges, naval mines, torpedoes, and cruise missiles. Recently, its armament was expanded to include the long-range AGM-158 LRASM, giving Germany more independent capabilities while it evaluates Swedish Saab GlobalEye AEW aircraft.
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