With Germany, Norway (pictured), and the UK already signed up as European customers of the P-8A, Boeing is now looking to add Denmark, France, and Italy to the pool of regional operators. (Boeing)
Boeing is chasing further European sales of its P-8A Poseidon multimission maritime aircraft (MMA) to add to the regional customers already signed up.
Speaking to Janes at the Farnborough International Airshow 2024 on 24 July, Tim Flood, senior regional director international business development – Europe, Israel, and the Americas, said that the company sees near-term opportunities with Denmark, France, and Italy, and potentially more European countries that may seek a shared solution with their neighbours.
“Clearly, Russian submarine activity is driving a strong emphasis on the need for maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) – that is the underlying cause that is helping the cause of the P-8 as far as which new European countries are looking at it,” Flood said.
Flood said that Denmark has an MPA requirement as part of its wider 10-year defence strategy, as the country looks to patrol into the Faroe Islands, and the High North and Arctic regions around Greenland.
“They need something that can meet their maritime patrol and their anti-submarine warfare [ASW] requirements,” he said. “We have been in active discussions with the Danes, and now it is within their own analysis and political determination process.” Flood noted that while Denmark has its own national requirement, it could also field the P-8A as part of a wider Nordic coalition with its near neighbours Finland, Norway, and Sweden. “The fact that Norway already operates it means there are some good Nordic collaboration opportunities as well.”
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