Rheinmetall Completes F-35A Component Plant in Germany

German defense contractor Rheinmetall has finished building a new facility for producing center fuselage sections for the F-35A fighter jet, Der Spiegel reported.

The plant, located in Weeze, North Rhine-Westphalia, is expected to launch operations in the coming days.

Rheinmetall invested around €200 million in the high-tech site, which will eventually produce up to 36 fuselage sections per year.

The first units are scheduled to be shipped to the United States in the fall of 2026.

Within the long-term contract, Rheinmetall will supply at least 400 center fuselage sections over a 17–20-year period. Initial production will be limited to one shift, turning out up to 30 units annually, before ramping up to full capacity.

The Weeze site currently employs around 200 people, with that number expected to grow to over 400 by the end of 2026.

The plant’s location near the regional airport is seen as a key step in strengthening Germany’s aerospace sector. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger stated that the facility will serve as a regional hub for aerospace technology, enabling the efficient integration of F-35 component manufacturing.

Following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump and concerns over his administration’s stance toward NATO allies, several countries (Germany among them) reportedly considered dropping the F-35A program.

However, Berlin later confirmed it would move forward with the acquisition. The decision was primarily driven by Germany’s role in NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangement: the F-35A is expected to carry U.S. B61 nuclear bombs stored on German territory.

At the time, officials noted there was no direct alternative to the fifth-generation F-35, as most European aircraft offerings remain in the fourth-generation category with limited capabilities.