Germany has already eight P-8A Poseidons on contract, the primary of which is anticipated to be delivered this yr.
Germany is prone to ask for added 4 P-8A Poseidon Multimission Maritime Plane (MMA), primarily based on the funding sought in newest protection funds requests and the Bundeswehr’s newest naval plan – the Kurs Marine 2025. The nation has already ordered eight Poseidons and the extra deliberate buy, if accredited, could be in step with enhanced roles inside NATO within the North Atlantic and the North Seas.
This might additionally mark the pure dying of the Franco-German Maritime Airborne Warfare System (MAWS) program meant to develop substitutes for the 2 international locations’ ageing Breguet Atlantique ATL2s and P-3C Orions. Solely two German P-3Cs stay in service, in addition to 22 French Atlantique 2.
The Bundeswehr revealed in February 2025 the primary of the German Navy’s (Deutsche Marine) eight Boeing P-8As, sporting full German colours and markings at Boeing’s manufacturing facility in Seattle, Washington. Bearing the tail quantity 170528 and registration 63+01, this was the primary of eight plane that Berlin contracted in a latest International Army Gross sales (FMS) program and is because of attain Germany in a couple of months, following functionalities’ testing.
The Procurement Company for the German Armed Forces (BAAINBw) and the German Navy stopped by the #P8 ending heart to verify on the progress of their first P-8A Poseidon. Hear why the service says it’ll be an “superior feeling” to obtain the primary sub hunter later this yr. pic.twitter.com/w3tyGpn3GA
— Boeing Protection (@BoeingDefense) July 15, 2025
Draft funds
Hartpunkt reported on Aug. 22, 2025, an allocation request of €2.8 billion in “dedication appropriations” within the 2026 funds framework, earmarked for the P-8A within the years from 2028 to 2032. The report contrasts this determine with the considerably decrease €700 million within the 2025 draft funds for the years from 2028 to 2030 submitted to the Parliament (Bundestag).
The primary 5 plane have been contracted in June 2021 for €1.43 billion, with three extra value €1.1 billion added in November 2023. This has led observers to conclude that this soar in dedication authorizations is just not solely meant for tools like buoys, torpedoes, or simulators for the P-8A, “but in addition further plane.”
“Consultants have reported that the Navy has a further want for not less than 4 further maritime patrol plane of this kind,” Hartpunkt added.
First @BoeingDefense P-8 #Poseidon for the German Naval Air Arm @deutschemarine has made its first flight in Seattle. Supply is deliberate for August. pic.twitter.com/pNktIrLilN
— Tony Osborne (@Rotorfocus) February 27, 2025
Lastly, the Kurs Marine 2025 envisages the P-8A working alongside unmanned fixed-wing and rotary-wing plane, together with naval utility helicopter variants of the NH-90, past 2029 and past 2035. In one other illustrative chart itemizing the German Navy’s “goal stock” by 2035, the variety of P-8As, together with a MALE-class drone that resembles the MQ-9B SeaGuardian, has been elevated from the earlier eight, to “8-12.”
These are categorized as “Reconnaissance & Underwater Warfare” methods. These methods within the chart coloured white are those Germany presently has not but acquired, and it signifies that it’s eyeing U.S.-made UAVs and may decide sooner or later.
Whereas Hartpunkt clarifies that the funds has but to be accredited, the Bundeshwehr’s intent to extend its P-8A fleet is evident. If it decides to take action, it must start with submitting the letter of intent to the U.S. authorities to provoke the FMS (International Army Gross sales) route.
German-French MAWS program
The Bundeswehr mentioned in 2021 that the acquisition of the P-8As was an interim resolution to fulfill the ten-year functionality hole that may come up after retiring the P-3Cs by 2025 and the Franco-German Maritime Airborne Warfare System (MAWS) not scheduled to return on-line by 2035. The MAWS mission envisaged Airbus and Dassault Aviation collectively growing a successor to the P-3C and the Breguet Atlantique ATL2.
In September 2023, Germany accredited the sale of six of its eight P-3C CUP (Functionality Improve Program) Orions to Portugal for $48.5 million, which Lisbon acquired on Feb. 9, 2024. The P-3C Orions have been operated by the third Naval Air Wing “Graf Zeppelin” at Nordholz within the northeast. Solely two P-3C Orions are presently operational till the Poseidons arrive.
Within the intervening interval, Germany additionally declined the French provide of 4 ATL2s upgraded to Customary 6, dealing a blow to the MAWS. Little has moved ahead since then.
Airbus then unveiled the A321 MPA (Maritime Patrol Plane) in November 2024 and launched a 24-month threat evaluation and discount research, to ease the transition between the idea and manufacturing phases which was anticipated in February 2025.
𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒: The German Navy shall be offering a single Lockheed P-3C Orion four-engined, turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance plane for the static show on the Vaasa Airshow on the fifteenth and sixteenth of June pic.twitter.com/jwIr5K0UHF
— European Airshows (@EuroAirshow) Could 20, 2024
By all indications, France appears to be going alone and the A321 may develop into its new MPA to exchange the 22 Breguet Atlantique ATL2s after 2030 underneath the Patmar (Patrouille Maritime) program. Maritime Patrol Plane might subsequently be one other army program feeding the broader diplomatic rift between Paris and Berlin, after the FCAS (Future Fight Air System) and air protection methods for Europe.
The P-8A can be a extra globally well-liked plane, operated by 9 international locations. Together with Canada as a future consumer, it’s flown by the U.S., Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Korea. A complete of 172 P-8s are flying right now, collectively clocking 660,000 flight hours as of 2024, in response to Boeing.
P-8A functionality
Deutsche Marine crews are already present process coaching at NAS (Naval Air Station) Jacksonville, Florida, house to the U.S. Navy’s VP-8 (Patrol Squadron 8), as a part of a six-month course, mentioned a Jul. 31 Bundeswehr press launch. The service talked about that the German P-3C fleet, developed within the Sixties and inducted within the Deutsche Marine in 2006, has been “steadily shrinking” over time, and the final two plane are actually “going through their remaining days in service.”
🇩🇪🇺🇸✈️ The primary Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare plane for the German Navy has been accomplished. The entire order is for 8 plane to exchange the Lockheed P-3C CUP+ Orion maritime patrol plane.
Germany is the eighth buyer for the American… pic.twitter.com/q8RXnr2nS3
— Barong (@Barong369) February 7, 2025
The press launch quoted Commander Phillip W., who in contrast how the P-8A is much forward of the P-3C, being “totally digitized,” providing “livestream […] high-speed knowledge transfers […] in addition to state-of-the-art satellite tv for pc communication,” with the automation permitting the crew to concurrently perform sea surveillance and antisubmarine warfare. The emergency procedures and the tactic of “adjusting the radar or dropping torpedoes and sonar buoys” are additionally radically completely different.
Primarily based on the Boeing 737, the P-8A is supplied with a Raytheon AN/APY-10 multi-target floor radar, an AN/APS-128 artificial aperture radar and an AN/ALR-73 passive detection system. The AN/ALQ-240(V)1 ESM (Digital Help Measures) array on the cheeks give elementary ELINT/EW (Digital Intelligence/Digital Warfare) functionality.
The P-8 may be armed with Mk-50 torpedoes, Mk-57 and Mk-101 depth prices, Mk-55 and Mk-56 mines and AGM-84 Harpoon missiles.
The primary P-8A for German Marineflieger acquired its paintjob in Seattle, WA. Deliveries for eight plane on order are to start out in August this yr. By way of Bundeswehr WhatsApp-channel (sigh). pic.twitter.com/nFgAF49C7j
— Alex Luck (@AlexLuck9) February 4, 2025
DW talked about, in a Could 16, 2025, report about German and British efforts to develop a long-range missile, that the 2 international locations additionally plan future joint operations in ASW and maritime reconnaissance within the North Sea and North Atlantic. “German P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane shall be deployed from Scotland. The British [are] already utilizing them, that means that German crews can already prepare there,” the report mentioned.
