The newly elected German government is considering the Lockheed Martin F-35 as a potential replacement for the nuclear-powered Panavia Tornado.
Germany has been looking for years for a successor for its aging fleet of Tornado attack aircraft, which were scheduled to be retired from active service as of 2025.
In mid-2017, the former Chief of the Luftwaffe sent a request for classified information to Lockheed Martin in order to evaluate the capabilities of the F-35 to take over from the Tornado. Aside from being the most technologically advanced option available, its nuclear capability, through the deployment of the B61 free-fall bomb, was particularly significant.
Germany, together with Belgium, Italy, Turkey, and the Netherlands, shares responsibility for NATO’s «nuclear delivery», for which it has in its custody some 20 American-designed B61 free-fall nuclear bombs. For its deployment, the Luftwaffe certified some of its Panavia Tornado for the nuclear attack mission.
The strong preference of the German Air Force for the stealth fighter came into conflict with the interests of the government and the Ministry of Defense, which wanted an all-European solution based on the Eurofighter. The result of this bid, which was won by the government, was the retirement of the Luftwaffe Chief and the elimination of the F-35A as an option to be considered.
But given the additional time and cost involved in certifying the Eurofighters for B61 bombs, a compromising decision was made:
- A modernization and life extension program would be carried out for 85 Panavia Tornado so that they can operate until 2030.
- A batch of 45 Super Hornet would be acquired from Boeing, of which 15 units would be of the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare and attack version.
- Acquisition of more Eurofighter Typhoons to replace the remaining Tornadoes.
Later, from Airbus Defense came the proposal to move away from the Super Hornet and that the 85 new aircraft would all be «Made in Germany». These would be Eurofighters of the future Tranche 5, together with a new version that Airbus wants to develop to replace the Tornado ECR in its electronic warfare and escort missions.
At a later date, it became known that the US Navy would not certify its F/A-18 Super Hornet for nuclear attack, so the advantage offered by the adoption of that model by the Luftwaffe (shorter certification times and costs for the use of the B61 bomb) was blurred and its incorporation was no longer so attractive.
It was also suggested from the US that certifying the German Eurofighters would take too much time, thus running the risk that the Luftwaffe would not be able to fulfill its nuclear dissuasion responsibilities towards NATO after the deactivation of the Tornado, a situation that could lead to a transfer of Germany’s «nuclear delivery» to another NATO member, such as Poland.
According to DPA, this situation has forced the new German Defense Minister, Christine Lambrecht, to re-evaluate the Lockheed Martin fighter for the Air Force’s nuclear deterrence missions.
Lambrecht informed Chancellor Olaf Scholz (a post held for years by Angela Merkel) that she will carry out studies to determine whether the F-35A can fulfill the Tornado’s nuclear missions, but also determine whether the Airbus proposal for the Eurofighter ECR is suitable.
It seems that the new defense minister would favor a mixed option, consisting of F-35 stealth fighters (her victories in Switzerland and Finland may have had something to do with it) and advanced versions of the Eurofighter to replace the 85 Panavia Tornado beyond 2030.
It certainly would not be the preferred option for Airbus, nor would it go down well with neighboring France, which does not want its partners in the future FCAS to divert a single euro of its defense budget from this strategic co-development. However, if Germany acquires even a small number of F-35s, it could help certain voices within the Spanish Armed Forces (also FCAS partners) who are also seeking the incorporation of the F-35, to make themselves heard more loudly.
