Germany has decided to buy a US F-35 fighter aircraft built by Lockheed Martin to replace its old Tornado, according to a government source. The Tornado is the only German aircraft capable of carrying US nuclear bombs, stored in Germany, in the case of a collision. But the air force has been flying the airplane since the 1980s, and Berlin plans to launch it between 2025 and 2030.
A German defense source told Reuters in early February that Germany had relied on the purchase of the F-35 but a final decision had not yet been made.
Germany plans to purchase 35 U.S. warplanes F-35 built by Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE: LMT) to replace its old Tornado, Reuters reports. Germany is also planning to purchase 15 Eurofighter jets equipped with an air force at Airbus SE (OTC: EADSY), a report citing a secret document sent to lawmakers.
“After careful consideration of all available options, I decided to proceed with the purchase of the F-35 instead of the Tornado in the nuclear arsenal,” the report quoted a statement issued by Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht.
The report added that German air force has been flying the Tornado since the 1980s, with Berlin planning to eliminate it between 2025 and 2030. The Tornado is the only German aircraft capable of carrying US nuclear bombs stored in Germany in the event of a collision.
