Germany Officially Receives First F-35A Fighter

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius formally accepted the first F-35A fighter for the German Air Force in the United States. The new fleet is scheduled to reach full operational capability in 2029.

The German Federal Ministry of Defense reported this.

Lockheed Martin handed over the aircraft at its facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Germany is scheduled to receive 35 such fighter jets by 2029.

“This moment is about more than the handover of an innovative aircraft. It is tangible proof of the strength of the transatlantic partnership and successful cooperation between Germany and the United States… Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has fundamentally changed the transatlantic security environment. The fate of Ukraine is of decisive importance for European security and global political stability,” Boris Pistorius said at the ceremony in Fort Worth.

The F-35A fleet will be based at Büchel Air Base in the Eifel mountains in western Germany. Under the plan, the upgraded air base infrastructure will be ready for flight operations in 2027. About €2 billion has been invested in its modernization.

Initially, the fighter jets will remain in the United States, where they will be used to train German pilots. The Bundeswehr plans to achieve full operational capability of the new fleet in 2029.

F-35 for Germany

Germany decided to purchase 35 F-35A fighters in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The new aircraft are to replace the aging Tornado fighter-bombers, which the German Air Force has operated since the 1980s.
The selection of the F-35A is also linked to Germany’s participation in NATO’s nuclear sharing program, as the aircraft can carry U.S. B61 nuclear bombs.

In July 2022, the U.S. State Department approved a potential sale to Germany of 35 F-35A fighter jets, along with engines, weapons, equipment, personnel training, and logistics support.

The maximum value of the procurement was estimated at $8.4 billion. In December of the same year, the Bundestag’s Budget Committee approved funding for the aircraft, and in August 2023, Germany signed its first contract under the program.

The first German F-35A began construction at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility in December 2024. In August 2026, the company completed assembly of the aircraft, after which it underwent ground checks and preparations for its first flight.

Another component of the program is German industry’s involvement in the global F-35 production chain. Rheinmetall began producing center fuselage sections at its facility in Weeze and started serial production in 2025.