BERLIN, Dec 14 (Reuters) – Germany got the go-ahead to buy F-35A fighter jets produced by U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin as part of military procurement projects worth 13 billion euros ($13.85 billion), Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said on Wednesday.

The German parliament’s budget committee approved the spending, including 10 billion euros for the F-35 jets as well as funds for the purchase of encrypted digital radios and assault rifles.

Germany aims to buy 35 F-35A stealth fighter jets in total, including missiles and other weapons and equipment, with the first eight aircraft to be delivered in 2026.

The U.S. jet will replace the ageing Tornado, the only German jet capable of carrying U.S. nuclear bombs, which are stored in Germany to be used in case of a conflict.

The German air force has been flying the Tornado since the 1980s, and Berlin is planning to phase it out between 2025 and 2030.

Reuters
Photo Rob Vogelaar