Denmark’s declared desire to acquire P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft for maritime surveillance has moved a step closer after the U.S. gave the deal the green light.
The European nation, currently at loggerheads with the U.S. over President Trump administration’s designs on Greenland, is seeking to buy up to three Boeing P-8A Patrol Aircraft and a host of related support systems at a projected cost of about $1.8 billion.
As per a statement at the end of last month on the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale and notified Congress accordingly.
It noted: “The proposed sale will support its goal of improving national and territorial defence as well as interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces.”
The P8-A aircraft are designed for a range of missions including anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), search and rescue (SAR), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
They can drop and monitor sonobuoys and can carry torpedoes,Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and other weapons systems.
The German Navy recently became the latest European nation to start operating the aircraft; its first P-8A was delivered in October last year. The variants bought by the Bundeswehr also carry an infrared anti-missile self-protection system.
More than 160 Poseidons are currently in operation worldwide. As well as the USA, other operators include the U.K., Norway, Australia, India, South Korea, and New Zealand.
- You can read more details of the proposed sale on the DSCA website