United States approves the sale of five P-8A naval patrol aircraft to Germany.

According to information published by the United States Department of Defense, the U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Germany of five P-8A Naval Aircraft and Associated Support, and related equipment, for an estimated cost of $1.77 billion.
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A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, attached to "The Fighting Tigers" of Patrol Squadron (VP) 8, deployed with Commander, Task Force (CTF) 57. (Picture source U.S. Navy)

The Government of Germany has requested to buy five (5) P-8A Patrol Aircraft; nine (9) Multifunctional Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems 5 (MIDS JTRS 5); and twelve (12) LN-251 with Embedded Global Positioning Systems (GPS)/Inertial Navigations Systems (EGls).

The contract also includes commercial engines; Tactical Open Mission Software (TOMS); Electro-Optical (EO) and Infrared MX-20HD; AN/ AAQ-2(V) I Acoustic System; AN/APY-10 radar; ALQ-240 Electronic Support Measures; NexGen Missile Warning Sensors; AN/PRC-117G Manpack radios include MPE-S type II with SAASM 3.7; Global Positioning Systems (GPS) 524D Precise Positioning System (PPS) for APY-10 Radar; AN/ALQ-213 Electronic Counter Measures; AN/ALE-47 Counter Measures Dispensing Systems; AN/UPX IFF Interrogators; APX-123A(C) IFF Digital Transponders; KIV-78 IFF Mode 5 Cryptographic Appliques; CCM-701A Cryptographic Core Modules; KY-100M, KY-58, KYV-5 for HF-121C radios; AN/PYQ-10 V3 Simple Key Loaders (SKL) with KOV-21 Cryptographic Appliques; aircraft spares; spare engine; support equipment; operational support systems; training; training devices; maintenance trainer/classrooms; publications; software; engineering technical assistance (ETA); logistics technical assistance (LTA); Country Liaison Officer (CLO) support; Contractor Engineering Technical Services (CETS); repair and return (RoR); transportation; aircraft ferry; and other associated training and support; and other related elements of logistics and program support.

The Boeing P-8A Poseidon is an American-made maritime patrol aircraft developed and produced by Boeing Defense based on a modified civilian aircraft 737-800ERX bringing together a highly reliable airframe and high-bypass turbofan jet engine with a fully connected, state-of-the-art open architecture mission system. Boeing was awarded the contract to develop the P-8A on June 14, 2004.

The P-8 is deployed in two variants including the P-8I, in service with the Indian Navy, and the P-8A Poseidon used by the U.S. Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, and the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force.

The P-8A operates in anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), and shipping interdiction roles. It is armed with torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and other weapons, can drop and monitor sonobuoys, and can operate in conjunction with other assets, including the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

The P-8 Poseidon has a crew of two and five operators including two naval flight officers plus three enlisted Aviation Warfare Operators/naval aircrewman.It can fly higher (up to 41,000 ft - 12,496 m) and get to the fight faster (490 knots - 907 km/h).