Germany accepts first of 35 F-35 fighter jets

Germany officially accepts the first of 35 fifth-generation F-35A fighter jets ordered from the United States on September 18. The aircraft will remain in the United States for now for the training of German pilots and technical personnel, while the first F-35s are expected to arrive in Germany in 2027.

A handover ceremony for the first aircraft is scheduled at the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth, Texas. The fighter jet is to be accepted on behalf of Germany by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who is concluding a multi-day visit to the United States.

The first German F-35A received the tail number 35+01. Its first test flight took place on September 8 at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth.

Germany has ordered a total of 35 F-35A fighter jets. The first eight aircraft will remain in the United States and will be based at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas, where German pilots and ground personnel will train on them.

Deliveries of the aircraft directly to Germany are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2027. The new fighter jets will be stationed at Büchel Air Base in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Deliveries of all ordered aircraft are planned to be completed by 2029.

The F-35s are to gradually replace Germany's fleet of Tornados, which have been in service for about four decades and are to be fully retired by 2030.

One of the key reasons for choosing the F-35 was Germany's participation in NATO's nuclear sharing program. These aircraft are certified to carry American B61 nuclear bombs, which can be used by US allies within the nuclear sharing mechanism.

Germany is rebuilding Büchel Air Base to accommodate the new fighter jets. A separate F-35 Campus is being created there with hangars, maintenance infrastructure, spare parts storage, and secure flight management systems. One requirement for the new infrastructure is enhanced cyber protection.

The F-35A is a fifth-generation fighter jet. The aircraft combines stealth technologies, advanced sensors, and data-sharing systems that allow multiple aircraft to create a common situational awareness picture of the battle environment.

The Bundeswehr expects the German F-35 fleet to achieve initial operational capability around 2029 and full operational capability in 2030.

The handover of the first aircraft takes place against the backdrop of deepening defense cooperation between Berlin and Washington. During Pistorius's current visit, the sides also agreed to expand joint arms production, including missiles for Patriot systems.

Sources: Bundeswehr, Deutschlandfunk, Lockheed Martin