New Dingo Vehicles, P-8A Poseidon Aircraft for the Bundeswehr

The Budget Committee of the German Bundestag has given the green light for the procurement of 50 protected command and functional vehicles (GGF) of the Dingo 2 A4.1 type, as well as three P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

The Dingo procurement is costing approximately €150 million. This allocation, funded through the Bundeswehr's strengthening title, replaces vehicles previously provided to Ukraine for defense against Russian aggression.

The Bundeswehr's strengthening initiative, Individual Plan 60, supports partner states with military material, equipment, and training. The Dingo 2 A4.1 vehicles are scheduled for delivery in 2026.

Additionally, the committee approved the purchase of three more P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, bringing the total to eight. The €1.1 billion required for this expansion will be drawn from the Bundeswehr special fund.

The P-8A Poseidon, manufactured by Boeing, is set to assume submarine hunting and maritime reconnaissance roles from the P-3C Orion by the end of 2024. The initial five Poseidon aircraft are expected to be delivered by October 2024.

Boasting the highest maximum take-off weight among dedicated Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) in the market at 85,139 kg, the P-8A is equipped primarily with the Raytheon AN/APY-10 maritime surveillance radar and L-3 Wescam MX-20HD digital electro-optic/infrared sensors. It has the capacity for 126 sonobuoys and is capable of carrying a comprehensive array of anti-submarine and anti-surface weaponry, both internally in its weapons bay and on underwing hardpoints. The main cabin is designed to accommodate seven mission crew members at six workstations, with ample space, power, and cooling provisions for potential expansion.