
Politico: Germany Plans to Purchase More F-35 Fighters
Germany intends to acquire 15 additional F-35 fifth-generation fighters from the United States.
According to several sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Politico, this move aims to expand Germany’s planned fleet of American-made fighter jets from 35 to 50.
Negotiations between Germany and the United States, which have so far remained confidential, are unfolding at a delicate moment for European defense cooperation, the publication highlights.
Just days prior, tensions flared between Berlin and Paris over the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) – Europe’s ambitious program to develop next-generation fighter jets – following France’s assertion of an 80% stake in the production of the new combat aircraft.
“We have decided to definitively clarify this matter in the coming months,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Berlin. “Different perspectives on the composition of this consortium have yet to be resolved.”
The deal with the United States to purchase additional F-35s is expected to fill a gap, as France, Germany, and Spain have been unable to reach an agreement on European-made combat aircraft.
According to the publication, Berlin has previously publicly supported the FCAS as the foundation for European sovereignty in military aviation.
Germany’s F-35s
Germany has already ordered 35 American F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation fighters manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
Under the plan, the first German F-35s will be stationed in 2026 at the Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Arkansas. This location will also serve as the training ground for German technicians and pilots.
Due to the commercial success of the F-35 program, Germany will not only purchase the aircraft but also manufacture wing roots and other components for these jets at the Rheinmetall facility.
The new factory began operations in early July 2025 in the city of Weeze, located in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia.