The German government has signed the contract for the acquisition of 20 new Eurofighter Tranche 5 aircraft previously approved by Parliament (Bundestag), marking another step in the modernization of its Air Force (Luftwaffe) and the gradual replacement of its Panavia Tornado fighters. The agreement was approved by the Bundestag Budget Committee and involves an estimated investment of 3.75 billion euros.
The contract includes the provision of engines, spare parts, and exchange components, and will be financed from the regular defense budget. Deliveries of the new fighters are scheduled between 2031 and 2034. According to the German Ministry of Defense, these aircraft will feature the E-Scan electronically scanned radar, representing a significant upgrade in the Luftwaffe’s reconnaissance and electronic warfare capabilities.
Jorge Tamarit-Degenhardt, Chief Executive Officer of Eurofighter, stated: “This order is excellent news for the Eurofighter program and our industrial partners as the program approaches the historic milestone of one million flight hours. Today’s major announcement reaffirms Germany’s long-term commitment to sovereign European air power. The order ensures production continuity, preserves critical capabilities throughout the supply chain, and strengthens Europe’s ability to defend itself for decades to come.” Tamarit-Degenhardt added that, with a projected service life extending beyond 2060, the Eurofighters “will enable full integration into the future European air combat environment.”
For his part, Air Vice Marshal (ret.) Simon Ellard, General Manager of NETMA, said: “Today’s signing is a proud moment and follows extensive collaboration and joint work between NETMA, the nations, and our industrial partners. The new order underscores Germany’s commitment to the Eurofighter program and will ensure NATO maintains its agility and dominance in the air domain. The 20 Tranche 5 fighters and 52 EJ200 engines will safeguard the skies of Germany and Europe and sustain the continent’s defense industry for decades.”
Complementary actions
In parallel, the Bundestag had also approved the modernization of Eurofighter flight simulators, with an additional budget of 412 million euros. The project, financed through the Bundeswehr special fund and the defense budget, aims to adapt personnel training to the new capabilities brought by the E-Scan radar and future aircraft upgrades.
Likewise, the development of the advanced electronic warfare training program (EloKa) was also approved, focusing on enhancing electronic warfare and the suppression of enemy air defenses. The system will incorporate the AREXIS self-protection suite developed by Saab, along with dedicated air-to-ground weaponry. This component of the program will require an investment of 1.13 billion euros, plus an additional 82 million for testing equipment and components.
The announcement follows what then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated during the opening of the Berlin Air Show in June 2024: “We will order 20 more Eurofighters before the end of this legislative term, in addition to the 38 aircraft currently on order.” Scholz emphasized that the initiative seeks to strengthen both the Air Force and the German and European aerospace industry. In the same vein, Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus, noted that these 20 additional units “will ensure two more years of fuselage production, keeping the assembly line open until 2032.”
Thus, it is clear that Germany continues its defense-related state policies regardless of the governing coalition in power, seeking to strengthen its Armed Forces in the face of the current threat posed by Russia to NATO in Eastern Europe.
Images for illustrative purposes only.
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