Germany Considers Ordering 15 Additional F-35 Jets Amid Military Modernization Push

By Staff, Agencies

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius plans to order 15 additional F-35A jets from Lockheed Martin, according to a parliamentary source cited by Reuters and corroborated by a report in Der Spiegel.

Confidential budget documents prepared for parliament’s budget committee estimate the purchase would cost approximately €2.5 billion ($2.9 billion).

If approved by the Bundestag, the additional jets would raise Germany’s planned F-35 fleet from 35 to 50 aircraft.

NATO officials view the expansion as a hedge against allied inventory shortfalls and a way to ensure operational readiness for both conventional and nuclear roles.

The original F-35 contract was designed to replace the Luftwaffe’s aging Panavia Tornado fleet of roughly 85 airframes, which has long provided strike and nuclear-sharing capability.

The first German F-35 deliveries are expected in 2026, with operational units to be based at Büchel air base later in the decade.

Germany’s reconsideration of additional F-35s comes amid accelerating military modernization across Europe, rising NATO demand, and strained supply chains due to the war in Ukraine.

High operational tempo has consumed spare parts and munitions, prompting Berlin to seek resilient force structures.

In parallel, Germany is pursuing other major procurements, including 20 more Eurofighter jets recently approved by the budget committee, signaling a multi-track approach to strengthening its air power.

The war in Ukraine and shifting US policy under President Donald Trump have contributed to an unprecedented European arms buildup in recent years.