Germany weighs purchase of 35 more F-35 jets as FCAS faces uncertainty.

Berlin is assessing a potential follow-on procurement of up to 35 more F-35s while uncertainty continues around the trinational FCAS program with France and Spain.

As reported by Reuters on February 19, 2026, Germany is weighing the purchase of up to 35 additional U.S.-made F-35A fighter jets beyond the 35 aircraft ordered in 2022, as the trinational FCAS program with France and Spain remains stalled. An expanded F-35 fleet, around 70 to 85 stealth fighters depending on previous options, would reinforce Germany’s NATO nuclear-sharing role as the Tornado is planned to retire by 2030. The decision would also affect Germany's airpower planning, transatlantic defense ties, and the future of the FCAS program.
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When including engines, ground equipment, logistics, and certification for the nuclear role, the cumulative investment for an expanded German F-35 fleet could reach well above €15 billion, depending on final quantities and negotiated support contracts. (Picture source: U.S. Air Force)

Discussions with the United States could involve more than 35 additional aircraft, while another source did not specify a figure and indicated the outcome remains uncertain. Deliveries of the initial 35 F-35As are scheduled to begin in 2026. Each aircraft is priced at more than $80 million, placing any follow-on order in the multi-billion-dollar range depending on quantity. If Germany were to add more than 35 aircraft to the existing order, the fleet could reach roughly 70 to 85 units, depending on whether the 35 F-35s include or not the potential 15 additional jets mentioned in July 2025. At the time of writing, Germany’s Defense Ministry did not comment on the reported additional F-35 discussions, the Pentagon referred inquiries to Berlin, and Lockheed Martin stated that it remains focused on producing the aircraft already ordered by Germany.

The Bundestag approved Germany’s original F-35A procurement in December 2022 under a package estimated at €10 billion. The program covers 35 conventional takeoff and landing F-35A variants, Pratt & Whitney F135 engines, mission systems, training devices, spare parts, logistics support, and infrastructure modernization at Büchel Air Base. The U.S. State Department approved an $8.4 billion Foreign Military Sales case in July 2022, and construction of the first German F-35, designated MG-01, began on December 6, 2024, at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility. Initial deliveries are planned for 2026, with German pilots training in the United States before aircraft are permanently based in Germany from 2027. Initial operating capability is targeted for 2028, while the Tornado fleet, scheduled for retirement by 2030, will be replaced in the NATO nuclear-sharing role by the F-35A. Expanding the F-35 fleet would deepen Germany’s operational integration with the United States and NATO, but would reduce a near-term reliance and long-term need for a European-developed successor aircraft.

The German Air Force, the Luftwaffe, currently operates 138 Eurofighter Typhoons, 68 Tornado IDS strike aircraft of which 8 are in long-term storage, and 20 Tornado ECR electronic warfare variants. The F-35A will assume the nuclear-sharing mission currently performed by the Tornado, which is cleared to carry U.S. nuclear gravity bombs stationed in Germany, as the F-35A is the only Western fighter certified to carry the most modern B61-12 nuclear bomb. Its integration ensures continuity of Germany’s NATO obligations without a capability gap once the Tornado retires, but the F-35 will also provide stealth strike, suppression of enemy air defenses, and electronic warfare capabilities beyond those of the legacy fleet. Expanding the fleet beyond 35 aircraft would increase redundancy for both conventional and nuclear missions, but would also affect Germany’s force structure planning for the 2030s, potentially raising questions within the country about Europe's defense autonomy.

Technically, the F-35A incorporates low-observable shaping, internal weapons bays, and radar-absorbent materials to reduce detection by modern air defense systems. It is equipped with the AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array radar and a Distributed Aperture System providing 360-degree infrared coverage. Its sensor fusion architecture integrates radar, electro-optical, infrared, and electronic support measures into a single pilot interface. Secure data links allow the aircraft to share targeting and situational data across air, land, and maritime units. The stealth fighter carries AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, precision-guided munitions such as JDAM, and the B61-12 nuclear bomb in an internal configuration. It has an internal fuel capacity exceeding 8,200 kilograms and a combat radius above 1,200 kilometers. External stores can be added when stealth is not required.

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) was launched in 2017 as a €100 billion joint project by France, Germany, and Spain to replace Rafale and Eurofighter fleets from 2040 onward. Demonstrator flights are not expected before 2028 or 2029, as unresolved industrial disputes over workshare and leadership have delayed progress, and discussions have included possible restructuring of the program. One scenario involves abandoning development of a jointly produced manned fighter while continuing cooperation on drones and a combat cloud network linking manned and unmanned assets. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly questioned whether developing a manned sixth-generation aircraft remains necessary, given cost and timeline concerns. He asked whether Germany would still require a manned fighter in 20 years and whether the investment would be justified. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the FCAS project is not dead and that he intends to pursue further discussions with Berlin, as rumours also say that Germany may join the rival project named GCAP.

At the same time, the industrial participation in the F-35 program has continued to expand in Germany. On July 1, 2025, Rheinmetall completed a €200 million production facility in Weeze, North Rhine-Westphalia, to manufacture F-35 center fuselage sections. The 60,000 square meter site includes production lines, logistics and warehouse areas, research and testing centers, training facilities, and quality control units. It is designed to produce 30 fuselage sections per year, scalable to 36 units through an additional shift, as Rheinmetall signed a framework agreement with Northrop Grumman to manufacture at least 400 fuselage sections over a 17 to 20-year period. Approximately 35 shipments of heavy machinery from the United States were delivered to equip the plant. The first fuselage section, composed of about 300,000 parts and weighing around two tonnes, is scheduled for delivery to the United States in autumn 2026. The workforce numbers 200 employees and is expected to exceed 400 by the end of 2026.

The broader F-35 supply chain includes more than 1,900 suppliers across roughly a dozen countries. European companies account for about 30 percent of total aircraft components. The United Kingdom contributes around 15 percent of aircraft value, including rear fuselage sections, pilot controls, and systems for the F-35B vertical lift variant. Denmark’s Terma has produced more than 30,000 parts, including composite panels, pylons, and electronics housings. Dutch firms provide radar components, power systems, and airframe elements, with Woensdrecht Air Base serving as a global spare parts hub. Finland’s Patria will manufacture 400 fuselage sections and landing gear doors between 2026 and 2040 and maintain F135 engines. Belgium, Japan, Australia, Canada, and Israel contribute structural components, avionics, landing gear, and helmet-mounted display systems within a pooled logistics framework in which parts remain U.S. property until installation.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.