German aircraft are to fly sorties over Britain for the first time since World War Two as part of a new defence deal.
Their pilots will be based in Scotland and join RAF crews on North Atlantic security missions.
The last German operational flight to land in this country is understood to have been Rudolf Hess’s so-called ‘peace mission’ flight in 1941.
Adolf Hitler’s deputy created an international sensation when he flew to Scotland, parachuted from his Messerschmitt and landed in a field in Eaglesham, near Glasgow.
Many aspects of Hess’s mission remain a mystery, such as whether Hitler sanctioned his bid to engage Winston Churchill in peace talks.
The Germans will be using P-8A Poseidon aircraft for their patrols
The aircraft will be based at RAF Lossiemouth in Moray
More than 80 years later, German aviators are to patrol British coastal waters in search of Russian submarines and maritime drones.
Their P8 maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft will be based at RAF Lossiemouth, in Moray. The Boeing P8-Poseidon is an American plane.
Originally developed for the US Navy it is presently operated by the US, the UK, Germany and many other nations.
Its array of sensors are top secret but the equipment allows the crew to keep track of enemy submarines and maritime drones.
The aircraft are also armed with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles.
Covert Kremlin maritime activity has increased in recent years, posing a threat to vital communication cables in the North Sea. The uptick in Russian submarine missions close to this country has coincided with the UK struggling to deploy its submarines.
As the Mail recently revealed, all the Royal Navy’s ‘attack’ submarines have been confined to port, mostly due to technical issues. Earlier this year six countries, including Britain and Germany, signed an agreement to protect critical underwater infrastructure from foreign sabotage.
Further details of the landmark UK-Germany defence deal will be announced today. UK Defence Secretary John Healey and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius will sign the Trinity House Agreement in London.
It will cover security arrangements, industrial partnerships and the development of long-range precision missiles.
It will also include the opening of a new artillery gun barrel factory, supporting more than 400 jobs and providing a £500million boost to the UK economy.
German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall will use steel produced by Sheffield Forgemasters. The UK and Germany will also commit to further weapons projects such as Sting Ray Torpedoes and drones which operate alongside fighter jets.
Mr Healey said: ‘This is a milestone in our relationship with Germany and a major strengthening of Europe’s security.
‘It secures unprecedented levels of co-operation with the German armed forces and industry, bringing benefits to our shared security and prosperity.’
Mr Pistorius said: ‘We must not take European security for granted.
‘Russia is waging war against Ukraine, it is increasing its weapons production immensely.’