Following various rumors that began circulating in recent days, the German government has officially announced that it is not currently considering the purchase of additional F-35A fighters from the United States. The announcement comes at a particular moment for the German Ministry of Defense, which has been making significant progress in the incorporation of its new fifth-generation fighter aircraft, while, in contrast, the sixth-generation fighter program faces growing uncertainty.
At the end of 2022, Germany officially confirmed the purchase of a total of thirty-five (35) new F-35A Lightning II fighters from the United States to replace its aging Panavia Tornado fleet. The agreements reached with Lockheed Martin, which received approval from Washington, are valued at USD 8.4 billion and include aspects such as the stealth aircraft’s weapons package and industrial offsets.
Meanwhile, the German government has also been progressing in completing the weapons system, with the confirmed acquisition of the aircraft’s respective weapons packages, notably including the purchase of new JSM anti-ship missiles from Norwegian company Kongsberg.
In this context, U.S. media reported that Berlin was in negotiations to expand its F-35 fleet, projecting the purchase of an additional fifteen (15) aircraft from the United States. However, spokespersons from the German Ministry of Defense, when consulted on the matter, categorically stated that these negotiations had no basis and that the ministry is currently focused on the integration of the first fifth-generation aircraft.
“The Ministry of Defense currently has no plans to acquire more F-35s beyond the 35 that have already been contracted,” officials stated at a recent press conference.
Nevertheless, the issue of whether Germany would move forward with the acquisition of additional fighters involves a particular nuance. More specifically, while the F-35As are intended to replace the Tornado, including their role as a nuclear strike platform, they are not expected to fully replace the fleet of European-origin aircraft.
Finally, and beyond the official denial, the announcement comes at a particularly sensitive time regarding another major program undertaken jointly by Germany, France, and Spain. Recently, Paris disclosed its intention to claim up to 80% of the production of the future sixth-generation fighter, sparking a new dispute within the program and casting further doubt on its future.
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