The German Ministry of Defense has signed a letter of offer and acceptance for five Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft under the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process. With this order, Germany becomes the eighth customer of the multi-mission maritime surveillance aircraft, joining the United States, Australia, India, the United Kingdom, Norway, Korea, and New Zealand.

Michael Hostetter, Boeing Defense, Space & Security vice president in Germany, said, “We will continue to work with the U.S. government, the German government, and industry to establish a robust sustainment package that will ensure the German Navy’s P-8A fleet is mission ready.”

Deployed around the world with more than 130 aircraft in service, and more than 300,000 collective flight hours, the P-8A offers capabilities in global anti-submarine warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and search-and-rescue operations.

“Bringing this capability to Germany is not possible without the contributions of German industry,” said Dr. Michael Haidinger, president of Boeing Germany, Central & Eastern Europe, Benelux, and the Nordics. “With the P-8A, we will expand our collaboration with German companies, create new jobs, and contribute to long-term local economic growth.”

German companies that already supply parts for the P-8A include Aljo Aluminum-Bau Jonischeit GmbH and Nord-Micro GmbH. Recently, Boeing signed agreements with ESG Elektroniksystem-und Logistik-GmbH and Lufthansa Technik to collaborate in systems integration, training, support, and sustainment work. By working with local suppliers, Boeing will provide support, training, and maintenance solutions that will bring the highest operational availability to fulfill the German Navy’s missions.