Germany wants to modernize its air force by equipping itself with American F-35 planes

An American F-35 fighter jet © Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images

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The German government admitted on Monday March 14 that the decision had been taken to equip itself with American F35s in order to modernize its Air Force.

Berlin intends to acquire up to 35 aircraft, a choice likely to undermine the future combat aircraft project in partnership with France. 

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Chancellor Scholz had stressed before the German Parliament, at the end of February, the urgent need to replace the old Tornado fighters of the Luftwaffe.

Already, the F-35 was part of the options.

It is now done, 35 aircraft will be ordered as well as about fifteen Eurofighters produced by Airbus.

For Germany, which has just provided itself

, the F-35, even if it is expensive, is the insurance, according to the Defense Committee of the Bundestag , to acquire the most modern fighter aircraft in the world used by numerous partners in Europe.

For Berlin, it is also the guarantee of quickly possessing an aircraft approved to carry American nuclear bombs within the framework of NATO deterrence operations.

On the other hand, this choice comes to burden the chances of the

.

The combat aircraft of the future, a structuring project for Defense Europe, must replace the French Rafale combat aircraft and the German and Spanish Eurofighter by 2040.

The division of labor between the French Dassault and Airbus, which represents German interests, is still unclear.

The arrival of the F-35 could therefore render the Franco-German project obsolete.

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