Germany set to increase Poseidon buy

An artist's impression of the P-8A Poseidon MMA in German Navy service. (Boeing)

Germany is to increase its buy of Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime multimission aircraft (MMA) as part of a wider increase in the national defence budget.

Kommandeur Marineflieger, Sea Captain Thorsten Bobzin, confirmed the additional purchase in early June, which will happen in the context of Germany's recently announced EUR100 billion (USD107 billion) Söndervermögen (special fund) uplift in defence spending.

“There will be a supplementary acquisition of sea reconnaissance for the successor [to the current Lockheed] P-3C. We thank Marinflieger for the renewed trust of politicians, and the Bundeswehr for equipment that enables comprehensive task fulfilment. We are happy to take on the resulting tasks,” he said.

Capt Bobzin's comments followed the 1 June meeting of the Budget Committee of the Bundestag, which noted the procurement of further maritime patrol aircraft (MPA). While neither Capt Bobzin nor the committee disclosed the number of additional MPAs to be procured, German national media reported that seven more Poseidons will be added to the current order of five for a final fleet of 12.

Germany is acquiring the Poseidon as a stopgap measure until the German Navy fields a long-term replacement for its eight Lockheed Orion MPA after that platform's modernisation programme was halted because of cost and technical difficulties. The first five Poseidon will be delivered to Germany by the end of October 2024.