BERLIN, June 30 (Reuters) - Germany is to purchase five Boeing (BA.N) P-8A maritime patrol aircraft for about 1.1 billion euros ($1.31 billion), the defence ministry said on Wednesday, confirming a Reuters report from earlier this month. Following approval from the parliamentary budget committee, the contract will now be signed, said the ministry as Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer visited her counterpart in the United States. "This procurement, with a volume of around 1.1 billion euros, serves the urgent need to maintain a capability for long-range maritime reconnaissance and airborne submarine hunting," said the ministry. Reuters had this month reported that the parliamentary budget committee had approved the purchase. L5N2O43UK The planes will replace Germany"s ageing fleet of Lockheed P-3C Orion aircraft. ($1 = 0.8426 euros)