German Navy Pushes for Expanded P-8A Fleet Amid High North Security Demands

FARNBOROUGH, England— The German navy’s initial procurement of eight Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will not satisfy operational requirements, according to the service’s head of naval air warfare.

“No, eight is not enough. Give me 10, and I will say I need more. And give me 12, I will say give me more,” Capt. Broder Nielsen, commanding officer of Germany’s naval air command, told reporters Wednesday at the Farnborough International Airshow.

The remarks come as NATO allies accelerate efforts to strengthen anti-submarine warfare capabilities in response to increased Russian activity, including threats to undersea critical infrastructure. Earlier this month, Denmark finalized an agreement to acquire two P-8As, while the United Kingdom secured a sustainment contract for its existing fleet.

“The demand for this aircraft is so huge. And to cover these huge areas there, you have to build up a real significant fleet,” Nielsen said, emphasizing that a credible posture is achievable only by combining the P-8A assets operated across Europe and the North Atlantic.

Establishing comprehensive domain awareness in the High North is a pressing priority. “It’s becoming increasingly important to get a clear picture of what is going up in the High North… the threat is there,” Nielsen added.

Germany is significantly increasing defense expenditure—potentially allocating a third of federal spending to meet a NATO target of 5 percent of gross domestic product. Recently, Berlin terminated its troubled, multibillion-dollar F126 frigate program, which was designed for anti-submarine warfare, opting instead for a smaller, more readily available design.

The navy plans to operate the P-8As alongside General Atomics MQ-9B SeaGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles. However, advanced unmanned integrations—such as air-launched effects deployed from missile-style tubes—are not a primary focus during the initial aircraft delivery phase.

Nielsen stressed that kinetic capability takes precedence. “We are in the very early stage of introducing our aircraft. So step by step, I would say. But what is even more important is our capability to launch kinetic effects,” he said. “It is of high importance that we will receive the torpedoes and also deep precision strike capabilities.”

Integration of anti-ship weaponry for the German P-8A fleet remains under evaluation. “The German navy lost the ability to fight against surface warships. That was 25 years ago when we lost our [Panavia] Tornadoes and gave it to the [German air force] unfortunately. And ever since, we do not have any missiles in stock anymore against surface ships,” Nielsen explained. “So we need long-range surface missiles, and the [Kongsberg] Joint Strike Missile is a valid option.”

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