In order to advance the expansion of its maritime patrol capabilities, Germany is evaluating the purchase of up to four additional P-8A Poseidon aircraft from the U.S., which would be added to the already ordered fleet of eight units that will serve in the country’s Navy. This development stems from the institution’s most recent budget request, in which funding appeals to the German Parliament for the acquisition of these aircraft are laid out, aligning with NATO’s new requirements to increase surveillance over the North Atlantic.
It should be recalled that the U.S. manufacturer Boeing began building the German Navy’s eight ordered aircraft in October 2024, while the first images of one of them were unveiled only in February of this year. Already bearing the Navy’s insignia, registration number 63+01 and tail number 170528, the P-8A Poseidon was seen at the company’s plant in Seattle, U.S. According to previous reports, its delivery is expected in the coming months once the aircraft completes the corresponding testing.
In terms of budgetary details for the potential acquisition, reports published by local media point to a funding request for 2026 amounting to around €2.8 billion, to be allocated to the P-8A Poseidons between 2028 and 2032. This represents a significant increase compared to previously known figures, which in the 2025 budget were set at around €700 million.
It is worth recalling that Berlin’s initial order for five aircraft from Boeing, finalized in 2021, required an investment of €1.43 billion; later supplemented with an additional €1.1 billion for three more aircraft. Considering the aforementioned budget differences, along with the publication of an official Navy document presenting a chart with a projected fleet of 8 to 12 P-8A Poseidons, it is more than reasonable to assume that the new funding request is directly tied to this acquisition.
Furthermore, it is important to note that the potential realization of this purchase carries consequences beyond the enhancement of maritime surveillance capabilities, as it could also mark the end of the MAWS program that Germany sought to pursue with France. Back in 2021, Berlin announced that its first order of five aircraft from Boeing would serve as a temporary solution to enable the retirement of its P-3C Orions and close the capability gap until the entry into service of a new platform, planned for 2035. Of the eight P-3Cs originally in service, Germany managed to sell six to Portugal for $48.5 million in 2024.
In France’s case, the program was intended to replace its aging Breguet Atlantique ATL2s, which were even offered to the German government in their upgraded Standard 6 configuration. The offer was ultimately rejected by Berlin, cooling ties with Paris and thus the future outlook of the MAWS program. Moreover, with the unveiling of the new Airbus A321 platform, reports began to suggest that the new aircraft would be selected by the French Navy to advance its own modernization efforts after 2030, further narrowing the prospects for cooperation in this program.
Images used for illustrative purposes
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