Germany has taken delivery of its first of eight P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to replace the navy’s aging P-3C Orion fleet, according to local media.
The aircraft was handed over at Boeing’s Seattle facility and is expected to arrive at Naval Air Wing 3 “Graf Zeppelin” in Nordholz, Lower Saxony, after final checks next month.
Berlin signed the initial contract for five Poseidons in 2021 and added three more in 2023.
With this shipment, Germany becomes the eighth nation to operate the system, joining the US, the UK, Australia, Norway, India, South Korea, and New Zealand.
Vice Adm. Jan Christian Kaack, inspector of the German Navy, called the Poseidon a “flying sentinel” that marks “a quantum leap in range, sensor technology, and endurance.”
Boeing program manager Tory Peterson also commented on the milestone, saying the Poseidon is “a proven and interoperable aircraft that will enable the German Navy and its NATO allies to effectively detect and engage threats above and below the surface.”
Boeing’s Poseidon
The Boeing P-8A Poseidon is a militarized version of the 737-800 airliner, designed to track submarines, conduct surveillance, and carry out anti-ship missions.
Powered by two CFM turbofan engines, the plane can reach speeds of 490 knots (564 miles/907 kilometers) per hour.
It operates at altitudes up to 41,000 feet (12,497 meters) and has a maximum range of 4,500 nautical miles (5,179 miles/8,334 kilometers).
The aircraft measures 130 feet (40 meters) in length with a wingspan of 124 feet (38 meters).
Its onboard systems include a surface search radar, advanced sensors, and electronic countermeasures.
For combat, the Poseidon can be equipped with torpedoes, depth charges, naval mines, as well as multi-role missiles.
