During the course of last November 21, the U.S. company Lockheed Martin announced through a brief statement on social media that it has set 2026 as the date to begin test flights of the first F-35A stealth fighter built for the German Air Force, which allows one to account for the progress of the program with which Berlin seeks to replace its already outdated Panavia Tornado aircraft. The news in question came after the visit of the German State Secretary, Nils Hilmer, to the plant the mentioned company has in Fort Worth in the U.S., where he signed the fuselage of this first aircraft that would reach the hands of the Luftwaffe.
Expanding on some particulars, it is worth highlighting that the F-35A seen in the images that accompanied the statement made it possible to see that it carried the factory number MG-01, along with a brief text that read “Ebbing Air National Guard Base.” The matter is not minor, considering that this base will be the first home of the platform once it is delivered to German hands, as it will allow the pilots of the German Air Force to train together with their U.S., Finnish, and Polish counterparts; the same will be done by the personnel tasked with providing maintenance to the stealth fighter.
It is worth remembering in that regard that while the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the sale of the fighter was approved in December 2022 and test flights with the first unit are planned for 2026, it would only be in 2027 that Germany could display its first F-35A aircraft on its own territory; according to plans, this would occur at the Büchel base. Once there, one of its main roles is expected to be integration into NATO’s nuclear sharing program, through which they will be able to make use of U.S.-origin B61 bombs to reinforce the Alliance’s nuclear deterrence capabilities.
Regarding the possibility of expanding the F-35A fighter fleet for the Luftwaffe
It is useful to highlight at this point that the developments mentioned so far come just a few weeks after different German media outlets began indicating that Berlin would be interested in expanding its orders for the F-35A fighter that will equip the Luftwaffe, with what would be a batch of 15 new aircraft. For this to materialize, the German government would be willing to invest an amount close to 2.5 billion euros, bringing the total number of requested aircraft to a potential fleet of 50 units.
As we reported last October 20, this would respond not only to the need to replace the Tornado fleet due to its age, but also to the need to increase the number of available fighters in compliance with NATO’s new requirements, outlined with the goal of strengthening response capabilities in the face of what is considered a latent Russian threat to European borders. With budget exemptions regarding purchases aimed at reinforcing the country’s defense, Berlin could, in that line, leave behind the main obstacles it previously encountered to place a larger order for stealth fighters—a factor that limited the original fleet to 35 aircraft—even when in July it seemed confirmed that the country was not evaluating the acquisition of new units.
If materialized, the operation would also allow Berlin to send signals of goodwill toward the U.S. regarding the efforts made to reinforce the defense of the country and of Europe, amid frequent demands from President Donald Trump for allied governments to invest in this. In addition to the F-35A aircraft it would potentially incorporate, Germany will also add 20 new Eurofighter Tranche 5 fighters, expanding its fleets while keeping local production lines active.
Other relevant factors of the German program
In addition to what would be this acquisition of additional fighters and the announcement of a date for the first flight, it is also necessary to mention that the German Air Force’s F-35 acquisition program has seen a broader array of advances in recent months. So much so that in September Berlin already received authorization from Washington to proceed with the purchase of up to 400 of the most modern AMRAAM missiles to equip the fleet, in what would be an operation valued at around 1.23 billion dollars.
This armament would be added to what was originally ordered, consisting of a batch of 105 AIM-120C-8 medium-range missiles, 75 AIM-9X Block II+ Tactical Sidewinder short-range missiles, 75 JASSM-ER smart bombs (extended-range variant), 264 MK-82 500LB general-purpose bombs, and 344 GBU-53 bombs. To these must also be added orders for new JSM anti-ship missiles manufactured by the Norwegian company Kongsberg, for which Berlin will invest about 644 million dollars, placing it as the fifth user of said system, following the steps taken by Australia, the United States, Japan, and Norway itself.
On the other hand, it is necessary to consider that the company Rheinmetall officially inaugurated during the month of July a new production plant in the German town of Weeze, located in the region of North Rhine–Westphalia. This is a notable milestone considering that the central section of the F-35 fighters is expected to be manufactured there, in addition to the achievement represented by its construction and commissioning in less than a year and a half, demonstrating a rapid process that strengthens the transatlantic defense link.
According to the available information, the facilities will allow the creation of up to 400 new jobs and will have the capacity to sustain an annual production of 36 fuselage sections. Looking toward the future, this plant expects to be able to participate in the manufacture of up to 400 F-35 fighters in total, which would be destined for the Luftwaffe itself and its European allies.
*Translated by Constanza Matteo
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