Germany Receives First F-35A From Lockheed Martin — SkimNews
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- Germany received its first F-35A Lightning II from Lockheed Martin on Friday, formally presented at the manufacturer's Fort Worth, Texas facility with Defence Minister Boris Pistorius attending
- Germany ordered 35 F-35As in 2022 — the year Russia invaded Ukraine — to replace its aging Tornado fleet and fulfill NATO nuclear-sharing duties
- Boris Pistorius called the F-35A "the beginning of a new era for the German Air Force" and "the world's most advanced combat aircraft," citing its stealth capabilities and sensor technology
- European NATO members, including Germany, agreed in 2025 to devote five percent of GDP to security-related spending by 2035 after sustained pressure from the Trump administration
- The Trump administration has pushed Europe to raise defense budgets so Washington can redirect resources toward countering China
Why it matters: Berlin takes delivery of the first of 35 F-35As ordered four years ago, making it the next European operator of a nuclear-capable platform that ties Germany directly into NATO's nuclear-sharing arrangement — a shift made politically urgent by the 2025 commitment to spend 5% of GDP on security by 2035.
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