Last month, the German Ministry of Defence signed a letter of ‘offer and acceptance’ for five
Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft under the US government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process. With this order, Germany becomes the eighth customer of the multi-mission maritime surveillance aircraft, joining the USA, Australia, India, the UK, Norway, Korea and New Zealand.
The P-8A Poseidon offers ‘unique multi-mission capability’ and is the only aircraft in service and in production ‘that meets the full range of maritime challenges faced by European nations’. In use around the world with more than 130 aircraft in service — and over 300,000 collective flight hours — the P-8A is ‘vital for global anti-submarine warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and search-and-rescue operations’.
Michael Haidinger, president of Boeing Germany, Central and Eastern Europe, Benelux and the Nordics, said: “Bringing this capability to Germany would not be possible without the contributions of German industry. 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.
Dr Haidinger added: “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.”
Furthermore, Boeing recently announced that United Airlines is expanding its 737 order book by purchasing an additional 200 737 MAX jets, including 150 of the largest member of the family — the 737-10 — and 50 737-8s — the airplane that serves ‘the heart of the single-aisle market’.
The purchase increases United’s order book for the single-aisle family to 380 airplanes, excluding 30 that have already been delivered. The ‘launch customer’ for the 737-10, United placed its first order in 2017 by converting 100 737-9 orders to the larger 737-10 variant.
This latest agreement agreement also includes the purchase of Boeing 737 MAX training simulator data packages. The 737 MAX family of aircraft are designed and built in Renton, Washington.