F-35A Arrives for Germany: What the New Fighter Means for the Bundeswehr and NATO.
Boris Pistorius Receives First German F-35A as Berlin Targets Full Capability by 2029.
Germany’s receipt of its first F-35A fighter jet marks more than the arrival of a new combat aircraft: it is a significant step in Berlin’s effort to strengthen its air power, deepen military integration with NATO allies and reinforce Europe’s defences amid a changed security environment. With 35 F-35As planned by 2029, Germany is adding a highly networked, stealth-capable fighter to its force as it expands its role in NATO’s collective defence and responds to the security challenges created by Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Germany enters a new era with first F-35A
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius formally accepted the aircraft from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin at a ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas, on 18 September 2026. Germany is due to receive 35 F-35As in total, with the full fleet scheduled to become operational by 2029.
Pistorius described the handover as the beginning of a “new era” for the German Air Force and presented the aircraft as an important symbol of defence cooperation between Germany and the United States.
“This moment is more than the handover of an innovative aircraft,” Pistorius said during the ceremony. He described the delivery as evidence of the strength of the transatlantic partnership and cooperation between the two countries.
For Germany, however, the significance of the F-35A extends beyond the arrival of a new aircraft. The programme is part of a much wider effort to strengthen the Bundeswehr following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and to improve Germany’s contribution to NATO.
Why Germany is buying the F-35A
Germany selected the F-35A as part of its plan to modernise its combat aircraft fleet. The decision to acquire 35 aircraft from the US defence contractor Lockheed Martin was taken in 2022.
The F-35A is designed to perform several roles, combining conventional fighter capabilities with advanced sensors, electronic warfare systems and stealth technology.
Pistorius linked Germany’s decision to the changing security environment in Europe. Russia’s war against Ukraine, he said, had fundamentally altered transatlantic security.
“Germany has heard the wake-up call,” the minister said, pointing to increased defence spending, the introduction of a new form of military service and the broader modernisation of the Bundeswehr.
Germany is also strengthening its military presence on NATO’s eastern flank. The deployment of Panzerbrigade 45 in Lithuania is part of that effort, while Berlin continues to provide military and other support to Ukraine.
The F-35 programme is therefore being presented by the German government as part of a broader response to the changing European security environment.
More than a fighter aircraft
One of the key differences between the F-35A and older generations of fighter aircraft is the importance given to information.
The aircraft is designed to collect information from its own sensors and other sources, process large quantities of data and provide pilots with a detailed picture of their surroundings.
Pistorius described the F-35A as a “sensor and command centre for tomorrow’s air warfare”.
The concept is closely connected to multi-domain operations, or MDO. This means coordinating activity across different military environments, including air, land, sea, space and cyberspace.
Instead of treating a fighter aircraft as an isolated platform, the idea is to make it part of a wider network. Information gathered by the F-35A can potentially contribute to a broader operational picture, while the aircraft can operate alongside other platforms and forces.
That networked approach is increasingly important for NATO, where forces from different countries must be capable of operating together.
Lieutenant General Holger Neumann, Chief of the German Air Force, said the arrival of the first F-35A would fundamentally change the way Germany trains, operates and fights.
German Air Force’s First F-35A Fighter Jet.
Stealth and electronic warfare
The F-35A’s design also focuses heavily on reducing its detectability.
Its stealth characteristics are intended to make it more difficult for opposing radar and other sensors to identify and track the aircraft, particularly at longer distances.
This is achieved through a combination of the aircraft’s shape, its internally mounted weapons bays and specialised surface materials.
The aircraft is also equipped with sophisticated electronic warfare capabilities. These systems are designed to help it operate in environments where electronic sensors and communications are heavily contested.
Another feature is its ability to conduct long-range precision strikes. The aircraft can engage targets several hundred kilometres away, depending on the weapon and mission configuration.
The F-35A can also operate alongside unmanned aircraft as part of what is known as manned-unmanned teaming. This concept involves crewed aircraft working together with unmanned systems to extend surveillance, targeting and other operational capabilities.
Germany’s industrial role
Although the F-35A is manufactured by Lockheed Martin in the United States, Germany is also involved in its industrial supply chain.
German defence company Rheinmetall manufactures the aircraft’s centre fuselage sections. Pistorius highlighted this involvement as a way of bringing technological expertise and industrial value to Germany while also making German industry part of the global F-35 supply network.
This gives the programme an economic and industrial dimension in addition to its military purpose.
For Germany, participation in the wider F-35 production network also means its defence industry is connected to one of the largest international fighter aircraft programmes.
US-Germany Defence Cooperation.
Why the aircraft will initially remain in America
The first German F-35As will not immediately move to Germany.
The aircraft will initially remain in the United States for the training of German pilots. This allows German personnel to gain experience operating the aircraft before the jets are based permanently in Germany.
The planned home for the German F-35A fleet is Büchel Air Base in the Eifel region.
Preparing the base is a major undertaking. Infrastructure must be upgraded to support the aircraft, including maintenance and repair facilities. Security arrangements also need to meet the requirements associated with the F-35A, while various procedures are being digitised.
The German government has invested around €2 billion in the infrastructure programme.
Pistorius said that conventional planning timelines were not sufficient given the security environment. A system of parallel planning and implementation has therefore been used to accelerate the work.
The infrastructure needed for F-35A flight operations is expected to be ready in 2027.
Building a NATO-compatible fleet
The F-35A is already operated or being introduced by numerous NATO members and partner countries. For Germany, this commonality is an important part of the aircraft’s appeal.
Pistorius said Germany and 19 other nations were relying on common standards, technology and procedures.
In practical terms, interoperability means that aircraft, weapons, communications systems, personnel and procedures from different countries can work together.
That can simplify joint training and exercises and is particularly important for NATO, where multinational forces may have to operate together during a crisis.
Germany’s F-35 programme is therefore about more than replacing aircraft. It is also about integrating the German Air Force more deeply into NATO’s evolving air combat architecture.
The first handover in Texas is an important milestone, but the programme is not yet complete. Training, infrastructure development, aircraft deliveries and integration with German and allied forces still lie ahead.
The target is full operational readiness in 2029, when Germany expects its 35 F-35As to form a new component of the Bundeswehr’s combat aviation capability.
