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Built by Lockheed Martin - but maybe serviced by German companies soon?
F-35 type machines
Photo: GIUSEPPE LAMI/EPA
German industry wants to be involved in the servicing and maintenance of the US F-35 stealth jets planned for the Luftwaffe.
For the companies it is now "to continue the usual partnership work" with the Air Force, the Ministry of Defense and the procurement office BAAINBw and to support the operation of the new weapon systems, said the Federal Association of the German Aerospace Industry (BDLI) on Friday in Berlin With.
"The Air Force and the German aerospace industry are linked by a tried and tested cooperation," according to the association.
The companies worked closely with the Air Force both in the maintenance and repair of complex weapon systems and in support at the component level, sometimes in fully integrated joint work teams.
The BDLI president and head of the Airbus armaments division, Michael Schöllhorn, pointed out that German industry had already looked after US models such as the F4 and F-104G.
»We want to continue to make our contribution as a partner in close cooperation with the Air Force.«
»nuclear sharing«
The federal government wants to buy 35 stealth jets in the USA.
The first machines are to be used in the USA from 2026 to train German pilots.
From 2027, operations from Germany are to begin.
The stealth jets will then replace the outdated Tornado fleet.
An investment of more than ten billion euros is planned for this.
Nevertheless, the switch to the F-35 could cause significantly higher costs.
The "Bild am Sonntag" reported on a secret document in which the Ministry of Defense warned of significant risks in the business, which could also affect the conversion of the airfield in Büchel (Rhineland-Palatinate) and the granting of national certification for the aircraft.
Germany has been involved in NATO's nuclear deterrent for decades with its own fighter jets.
They are stationed at the Büchel Air Base in the Rhineland-Palatinate Eifel region in order to deploy US nuclear bombs stored there in an emergency.
This is referred to as "nuclear sharing".
So far it has been based on the Tornado machines, but in the future F-35s will take over this task.
beb/dpa
