Armament projects
“Most modern fighter aircraft”: Germany gets F-35
Updated 09/18/2026 – 05:25 amReading time: 3 minutes
It’s a big step for the Air Force: the first stealth jet is handed over in the USA. With the ability to carry atomic bombs, Germany participates in nuclear deterrence.
Camouflage properties and digital networking: The US defense company Lockheed Martin delivers the first F-35 fighter jet ordered by Germany in Fort Worth, Texas. “For the air force “From now on a new era begins: The new F-35 A fighter jet is the most modern fighter aircraft in the world,” said Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in the USA.
It is characterized by its camouflage properties, close networking with other platforms and particularly powerful sensors. “The F-35A can collect large amounts of data and quickly combine them to form a complete situation picture,” said Pistorius. Cooperation with 19 other nations opens up many opportunities for training, exercise and deployment “and makes us stronger together.”
The F-35 is being purchased for Germany’s “nuclear participation.”
The Federal Government wants to buy 35 of the machines for ten billion euros. The aircraft is intended to replace the aging Tornado fleet and then contribute an important part to deterrence. Because it is being bought primarily for Germany’s so-called nuclear participation – a deterrence concept NATOin which allies have access to US nuclear bombs.
Because of its special shape and external coating, the machine is difficult to detect by enemy radar.
The German Ministry of Defense explains that the machine has all the prerequisites for various operational roles, including fighting against an opponent’s air defenses, precise attacks on targets on the ground and at sea, and precision strikes far inland (“deep precision strike”).
All aircraft are scheduled to be delivered by 2029
The training of pilots and technicians in the USA began this year. First there are technical courses, and in the last three months of the year the flying training begins with our own German aircraft at the Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith in the state of Arkansas.
The first six machines are scheduled to be delivered by the end of the year. The first eight F-35s remain in the United States to be used for training.
The last aircraft is scheduled to be delivered in 2029. Also in production Rheinmetall involved. The German defense company builds center fuselage parts for aircraft in Germany.
Military airfield in the Eifel is being rebuilt
The first machines are expected to be at the Büchel air base in the Eifel by the end of next year. The military airfield is being extensively renovated for two billion euros. The costs are therefore higher than initially assumed.
