Germany plans to purchase 15 modern F-35 fighter jets from the USA to strengthen its defense capabilities. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
The “Spiegel” publication reported this based on information from the German Ministry of Defense. A new procurement project has been prepared on the initiative of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and submitted to the Bundestag budget committee.
The purchase is estimated to cost around 2.5 billion euros and will be carried out under a contract with Lockheed Martin. Germany had previously ordered 35 F-35 aircraft.
The first batch of these aircraft is expected to be delivered to the German armed forces in 2027. The new F-35s will gradually replace the outdated Tornado fighters.
The Tornado aircraft carry US nuclear weapons stationed in Germany and perform nuclear deterrence tasks within NATO. According to “Spiegel,” Germany’s military aviation fleet needs to be expanded to meet NATO’s new requirements.
Currently, the country has also ordered 20 Eurofighter jets, and a new airbase is planned to be built to accommodate fifth-generation fighters in the future. At the same time, the renovation of the Büchel airbase, where Tornado aircraft and US nuclear weapons are stationed, is progressing with difficulties.
The modernization costs have reportedly increased from the initially planned 700 million euros to two billion euros. At the same time, Indonesia is also reported to intend to purchase 42 Chengdu J-10C fighter jets from China as part of its defense system upgrade.
This situation is seen as a new strategic decision aimed at increasing military potential in the region. These moves to strengthen the military aviation of Germany and Indonesia may further intensify competition in the defense sector on the international stage.
