Germany Expanding F-35 Orders By 42 Percent: Pan-European Stealth Fighter Program Faces Dim Future

<p >The German Defence Ministry is planning to broaden its procurement for F-35A fifth era fighters from 35 to 50 fighter, and is at present holding talks with the USA on a followup contract. Regardless of the nation’s political management having <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/german-once-fired-its-air-force-chief-for-supporting-the-f-35-now-it-will-order-f-35s-for-nuclear-bombing-missions" >lengthy opposed</a> the potential for procuring the F-35, as a result of <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/german-policymakers-concerned-american-kill-switch-disable-f35" goal="_blank">dangers of overreliance</a> on the USA and the perceived want to guard native business, a choice to accumulate the plane was taken in March 2022, a month after the escalation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine to full scale conflict. Whereas a small F-35 fleet was initially anticipated to be relied on for nuclear strike roles, it had lengthy been anticipated that when the extent of the efficiency discrepancies between the plane and far much less succesful indigenous European fighters turned obvious, curiosity in buying the American jets on a a lot bigger scale would develop.</p><p ><img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/07/11/article_68711d264829e4_27050880.jpg" title="Future Fight Air System European Sixth Technology Fighter – Idea Artwork"></p><p >German curiosity in rising F-35 procurements has occurred because the Future Fight Air System (FCAS) subsequent era fighter program being collectively developed by France, Germany and Spain has continued to face <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/european-stealth-program-decades-behind-infighting-difficulties" goal="_blank">rising difficulties</a>, elevating questions relating to this system’s viability. Disagreements between two of the first collaborating corporations, Airbus and Dassault, have reportedly prompted main delays to the continuing expertise growth part of this system, marking the newest of a number of instances of infighting hampering progress. Based on Dassault CEO Eric Trappier, this system is scheduled to convey a fighter into service solely the 2050s, twenty years behind China and the USA’ personal <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/worlds-largest-fighter-plane-china-ultra-long-range-sixth-gen" goal="_blank">sixth era fighter packages</a>. The shortage of Western options to the F-35 with comparably superior capabilities has allowed it to <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/f35-europe-clients-production-dominance-market" goal="_blank">dominate markets</a> for NATO-standard fighter jets. Germany’s growth of F-35 orders might replicate American plans to<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/nato-more-nuclear-weapons-standby" goal="_blank"> improve the quantity </a>of nuclear bombs it shares with its European ally, or might sign {that a} wider vary of roles are being thought-about for the plane past nuclear supply. </p>



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