This is the first contract signed by Lockheed Martin under the German F-35 programme.
The statement by the United States Department of Defense indicates that the fleet of German F-35 fighters will be uniquely configured; however, details have not been disclosed.
In December 2022, Berlin signed the intergovernmental agreement with Washington (Letter of Acceptance, LOA) for 35 F-35 Lightning II fighters. The deal is valued at EUR 8.3 billion.
According to the German Ministry of Defence, the first batch of eight aircraft will be delivered to the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) in 2026. It is expected that the Luftwaffe will receive the last batch of fighters in 2029.
Germany decided to purchase F-35 fighters to use them – among other roles – for its participation in the NATO Nuclear Sharing program. The F-35 aircraft is adapted to carry the B61 nuclear bombs. However, the fleet of F-35 will also be used for a wide array of missions realized by the Luftwaffe.
