The reconnaissance flight took off from Lossiemouth in north-eastern Scotland and headed over the North Atlantic Ocean.
Aboard the Royal British Air Force plane, which resembled a large gray Boeing 737 in every way, but with fewer windows, was German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. From the plane, he could see how Russian submarines and suspicious ships could be detected using highly sensitive radar and sonar equipment.
“We went quite low, about 300 meters below, and saw the ships rocking on the waves,” Pistorius told DW after a two-hour flight with a German pilot in the cockpit.
The Boeing P-8 Poseidon – a military aircraft that uses the frame of a passenger aircraft, the Boeing 737 – is primarily designed to detect Russian submarines, which frequently depart for the North Atlantic from the Russian port of Murmansk.
During the flight, no submarines were seen but German politicians were able to see sonar buoys – also known as sonobuoys – being dropped from the back of the aircraft. The buoys are equipped with acoustic sensors and, when dropped, can create a network of listening devices that can detect ship engine noises from kilometers away, as well as monitor other aspects of the underwater environment.
‘Ensuring that our armed forces can work shoulder to shoulder’
The German Navy will receive eight of these aerial reconnaissance and surveillance systems. The British Royal Air Force, Norwegian Navy and US Navy already have them in their fleets. Together, these NATO countries plan to monitor the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea from air bases in Lossiemouth, Keflavik in Iceland and Nordholz in Germany.
British Defense Secretary John Healey was also on board and after the flight, it was announced that forces from both countries would join together to monitor Russian submarines from out of the British base at Lossiemouth.
“Together, we are strengthening NATO, boosting our cyber defence, and ensuring our armed forces can work more easily side by side – from patrolling the skies of Scotland to hunting Russian submarines in the North Atlantic,” Healy said. in a statement After the flight. “This partnership is a cornerstone of European security.”
According to NATO officials, the movement of Russian submarines, some of which are nuclear-powered and armed, has increased significantly in recent years. “This is a strategic threat,” said one official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Submarines are allowed to dive into international waters during peacetime, but since they do not carry transponders, their location is difficult to determine.
For this reason, NATO has established a network of surveillance systems, the backbone of which are reconnaissance aircraft. The main objective is to find out how close Russian submarines are to the coasts of NATO countries, and whether they are crossing maritime boundaries.
The P-8 aircraft could also fire British-designed torpedoes if necessary, so could be used against submarines in time of war.
Europe’s message to Trump and Putin
Russia operates similar but less modern systems to detect NATO submarines in the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea. One officer described it as a constant game of “cat and mouse”.
US submarine hunters are currently deployed to Iceland. For now, that is. Other Atlantic coastal states fear that the US may eventually thin their ranks and that European countries will need to take over.
“To remain trans-Atlantic, NATO must become more European,” Pistorius said in Lossiemouth. “This is our message to both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, but [with the emphasis] In different directions.”
Trump needs to be aware that the Europeans are taking more responsibility for security and defense, while Putin needs to know that NATO will always be able to find his ships.
After the flight, Pistorius also told that it is not just about Russian submarines. Cargo, tankers and fishing boats approaching submarine cables or offshore wind farms will also be detected by the monitoring systems.
“It’s also about critical infrastructure, about detecting suspicious vessels,” he said. “I was able to see very impressively on board today how high the resolution and quality is. In that respect, it’s not just a good experience, it means more security for our own country and for us. [NATO] The area of alliance.”
Continued support for Ukraine
The two defense ministers also talked about the fact that Germany and the UK are increasing cooperation on air force and drone technology as well as equipment for ground forces. As part of the NATO initiative, they are jointly developing a long-range precision missile with a range of more than 2,000 kilometers.
British Defense Minister Healey confirmed that both the UK and Germany intend to continue supporting Ukraine by supplying training and weapons to Ukrainian troops. Both countries are members of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, a group of mostly European countries that support Ukraine. Healy said 50 billion British pounds (€57 billion) had been pledged, but more was needed.
Pistorius also told reporters that he welcomed the newly announced sanctions against Russia by both the EU and the US. Nevertheless, the German politician said he still had doubts about the Trump administration’s sanctions; Similar restrictions were imposed earlier also but nothing happened.
“We are not afraid,” Pistorius said. “It is urgent that we step up our efforts, stand together and make clear that we are able and willing to protect ourselves.”
The acquisition of Poseidon P-8 aircraft for the German Navy is a small part of this. The German Defense Ministry budget is expected to more than double to €150 billion by 2029.
This story was originally written in German.