The German government will purchase several dozen F-35 fighter jets from the United States amid the Russia–Ukraine conflict, said a government minister this week.
“After looking thoroughly into all available options, I decided to initiate the purchase of F-35 aircraft as replacement for the Tornado in the role of nuclear sharing,” Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said in a statement. She was referring to Germany’s aging fleet of Panavia Tornado planes, which Germany has employed since the 1980s and are reportedly due to be phased out in the coming years.
