Germany Mobilizes: Buying American fighter planes, F-35.

Germany plans to buy about 35 American combat aircraft of the F-35 model and 15 Eurofly type aircraft, a German parliament source said on Monday. The Berlin decision is part of a major effort to modernise the armed forces in response to Russian intervention in Ukraine.

Fighters F-35 model aircraft, produced by the American company Lockheed Martin, would help replace the several dozen-year-old German fleets of Tornado model aircraft, according to news reports confirmed by the source.

Tornado model planes are the only fighter aircraft capable of carrying American nuclear bombs stationed in the German and are an essential part of NATO for the prevention of conflict.

American F-35 aircraft are considered the most modern fighter aircraft in the world. Their unique form and outer layer make their discovery from enemy radar very difficult.

Other Eurofly model planes, which Germany plans to buy, built by a group that includes the European corporation Airbus, will reportedly be used for other operations, including electronic warfare and association missions.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged last month to invest $112 billion in the country's military, which has not been financed enough for years.

The increase in expenditures marks a major change in Europe's largest economy, changing its policy of low military profile, in part from Germany's sense of guilt for World War II.

After years of criticism, that Germany was not carrying a sufficient financial burden in NATO's military alliance, Chancellor Scholz also pledged to spend more than 2% of gross domestic defence production annually, exceeding NATO's goal.

The change of German stance was prompted by the return of the war on the European continent following Russian intervention in Ukraine on February 24th, shocking Berlin's sense of security and highlighting the state of German armed forces.

But buying American fighter F-35s raises questions about the future of a joint European plane Berlin is developing in co-operation with Spain and France.

Known as “Future War Service” [Future Air System (FCAS)], the aircraft is scheduled to replace France's Rafale model aircraft by 2040, and German and French Eurolighter model aircraft.

Late last month, Chancellor Scholz tried to ease fears that the project could become unnecessary, saying the joint European project had a “absolute advantage”.

It is important for me to build the next generation of fighter aircraft and tanks in collaboration with European partners”, he said. But the German Armed Forces, known as Bundeswehr, must quickly replace the tornado model fleet because it has grown old, Chancellor Scholz added. /voa