Germany entered a new phase in maritime patrol modernization as its first Boeing P-8A Poseidon landed in Berlin on 7 November 2025. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Vice Admiral Jan Christian Deertz welcomed the aircraft at the airport. Pistorius said the platform would shape Germany’s contribution to deterrence in the High North. He also noted that the Poseidon strengthens NATO interoperability through shared training, maintenance, and data integration.
Vice Admiral Axel Deertz called the aircraft’s arrival “a great day for the Naval Air Arm.” He reminded the audience that the Navy received a jet-powered aircraft again after almost twenty years. “The Poseidon delivers immense capability and pushes us far ahead,” he said. He described the procurement as a major step into the future and stressed the need to bring the new aircraft into operational service as soon as possible.
The German Navy is acquiring eight P-8A Poseidons to strengthen its ASW, ASUW, and ISR capabilities. The first aircraft, tail number 63+01, joined the Navy during a ceremony in Seattle last month. It reached Germany only after today’s flight. The fleet will replace the aging P-3C Orion aircraft and anchor a long-term modernization effort.
Berlin initially viewed the P-8A as an interim solution until the Franco-German MAWS program enters service around 2035. Germany signed a €1.1 billion LOA with the U.S. Department of Defense on 30 June 2021 for five aircraft. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and delays in MAWS changed this approach. In 2023, Germany used the Sondervermögen fund to buy three more aircraft, raising the total to eight. Defence officials may also pursue four additional aircraft, which would expand the fleet to twelve.
The P-8A Poseidon is based on the Boeing 737 Next Generation airframe. Its wingspan is 37.64 m, length 39.50 m, and height 12.83 m. The aircraft uses two CFM56-7BE turbofans, each providing 121.4 kN (27,300 lb) of thrust. Maximum takeoff weight reaches 85,820 kg. The aircraft can climb to 41,000 ft and reach a top speed of 490 knots (907 km/h).
Its operational range exceeds 1,200 nautical miles (2,225 km). Typical mission endurance over a patrol area is more than four hours, and long-range missions can last six hours or more depending on profile and payload. The aircraft supports aerial refuelling and carries auxiliary fuel tanks for extended endurance when required.
The P-8A performs anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. It carries up to 129 A-size sonobuoys and processes acoustic data using advanced onboard systems. It can deploy MK-54 lightweight torpedoes and integrate Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The aircraft uses the AN/APY-10 maritime surveillance radar for surface and littoral detection.
Marinefliegergeschwader 3 “Graf Zeppelin” in Nordholz will operate Germany’s Poseidon fleet. The aircraft will patrol the North Atlantic between Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. This region protects NATO’s vital transatlantic supply routes. The fleet will also support the protection of critical infrastructure in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The P-8A already serves with the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, India, Australia, South Korea, and New Zealand. Germany expects to receive the remaining seven aircraft by 2029.
