Germany is evaluating the purchase of additional American-built F-35 fighter jets as uncertainty grows around its joint sixth-generation aircraft project with France, according to multiple sources familiar with ongoing defence discussions.
One source indicated Berlin could acquire more than 35 extra aircraft, although negotiations remain unresolved and officials have cautioned that the final decision is still subject to political and strategic review.
Germany previously ordered 35 jets in 2022, with deliveries scheduled to begin later this year, marking a major shift in procurement toward advanced stealth technology compatible with NATO nuclear sharing responsibilities.
FCAS Deadlock Forces Strategic Reassessment
The potential purchase comes as the €100 billion Future Combat Air System programme remains stalled due to disagreements between industrial partners over leadership roles and technological control across development phases.
Insiders expect the joint fighter aircraft element could be abandoned, while cooperation may continue on drones and the digital combat cloud network connecting manned and unmanned combat systems across future battlefields.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly questioned the relevance of manned sixth-generation fighters, asking, “Will we still need a manned fighter jet in 20 years’ time? Do we still need it, given that we will have to develop it at great expense?”
Strategic Implications For Europe And NATO
Expanding the F-35 fleet would deepen Germany’s military integration with the United States and reduce reliance on purely European defence autonomy, an approach strongly favored by France within European Union security policy debates.
The aircraft will replace aging Tornado jets in their nuclear delivery role, as the F-35 remains the only Western fighter certified to carry modern B61 nuclear bombs stationed in Germany under NATO arrangements.
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has suggested clarity on the future of the FCAS programme could emerge within days, potentially reshaping Europe’s long-term air combat strategy and industrial partnerships.