As part of a future agreement estimated at nearly US$600 million, the German government has taken a new step toward acquiring the new Joint Strike Missiles (JSM) from Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. These missiles are intended to equip the future fifth-generation F-35A stealth fighters of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). This move comes after the German parliament approved the decision on June 4 to proceed with a future government-to-government agreement, with the contract for the missiles expected to be signed by the end of the first half of 2025.
In December 2022, the German Air Force received the green light from the Bundestag’s Budget Committee to begin the procurement process for 35 F-35A Lightning II fighter jets. This step, aimed at strengthening and modernizing the German Armed Forces, also seeks to replace the Luftwaffe’s aging Tornado fleet—a project accelerated by the tense geopolitical context following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of the same year. The decision to acquire the F-35A Lightning II came a month after then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a massive increase in defense spending, arguing that the war in Ukraine compelled Berlin to “re-evaluate its foreign and defense policies.”
Subsequently, in late July 2022, the U.S. Department of State approved the proposed sale of the 35 aircraft, along with an extensive logistical package that included engines, mission equipment, spare parts, technical and logistical support, and training. In terms of weaponry, the deal included AIM-120C-8 and AIM-9X Block II+ Tactical Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, long-range AGM-158 JASSM-ER missiles, GBU-53 StormBreaker bombs, and 500-pound Mk82 general-purpose bombs. The estimated cost was US$8.4 billion.
Building on this, in March 2024, Germany moved forward with the parallel purchase of 75 extended-range JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles with Extended Range) cruise missiles from the United States, intended to eventually replace the Luftwaffe’s current Taurus cruise missiles.
There is also the possibility that the aircraft will be equipped with nuclear bombs in the future. In this regard, that same month, the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) celebrated via social media the announcement that U.S. F-35As had been certified to carry B61-12 thermonuclear bombs. It is worth noting that the “A” variant of the stealth fighter is currently the only one certified to deploy such weapons without requiring an upgrade to the still-in-development Block IV standard.
As for the JSM anti-ship missiles, which were not part of the original purchase, they are manufactured by Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. The JSM is a derivative of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) specifically designed to operate with the F-35. It stands out for its stealth capabilities and automatic target recognition system—an essential feature that makes it a key weapon for precision strike missions.
With this decision, Germany would become the fifth country to adopt the JSM, joining Norway, Japan, Australia, and the United States, thereby equipping its future fifth-generation fighters with enhanced anti-ship capabilities and advancing the completion of their weapons systems.
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