The first P-8A Poseidon, prepared for the Marineflieger, has landed from the United States at the Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport.
This is the first of eight Poseidons that Germany has ordered in two tranches, of five and three specimens, to replace equivalent P-3C Orions that had escalating sustainability issues and operational rates not aligning with Bundeswehr’s needs.
In View of Line Expansion
Besides, it recently emerged that the Marineflieger aims to expand the line of P-8As to cope with operations outside of reference basins (Baltic Sea and North Sea), purchasing an additional four specimens, bringing the total aircraft to twelve.
Also, based on agreements between London and Berlin, the Marineflieger will operate regularly from the RAF base in Lossiemouth where three British Poseidon squadrons are deployed; the German aircraft and those of the RAF will be perfectly interoperable and can employ either American Mk 54 torpedoes or British Stingray torpedoes.
The Marineflieger can also regularly operate with the Poseidons from the base in Keflavik, Iceland, today used mainly for technical stops, thanks to agreements between the German Government and that of Reykjavík, which wants to strengthen the defenses around the island, and to ensure the coverage of the waters around Greenland, according to agreements with the local government and the Danish one.
Photo credit @Bundeswehr/Christoph Kassette
